Conference USA announced its 2003 all-league teams and postseason award winners prior to the start of the ninth-annual C-USA Tournament slated for Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 5-8 at TransAmerica Field, hosted by Charlotte.

Forward JULIANNE SITCH becomes the first DePaul player to garner Offensive Player of the Year honors. She leads C-USA in points (27), shots (86) and game-winning goals (6). Her 86 shots are a Conference USA single-season record, eclipsing the previous high of 83 that she tied last year. Only a sophomore, Sitch has already entrenched herself in the Blue Demon record books as the all-time points leader (48) and goal scorer (19). Her 11 goals this season are a DePaul single-season benchmark. Sitch was a second team all-conference and all-freshman team member last year.

After leading the UAB to its first outright regular season championship, head coach PAUL HARBIN was named Coach of the Year. The only coach in the seven-year history of the Blazer program, Harbin guided UAB to a school-record 13 victories this fall. His squad also established a new school mark for shutouts with nine and tied the program high for conference wins with eight.

For only the second time in conference history, the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year has been awarded to co-honorees with East Carolina defender PENNY PERROTT and USF goalkeeper BRECK BANKSTER sharing the accolade. Perrott helped the Pirates notch six shutouts and register 1.14 goals against average. Bankster led the conference in saves with 107 and averaged a league-best 6.29 saves per game. She also ranked among the league leaders with four shutouts. Both players earned all-conference honors in 2002.

Louisville forward JAMIE CRAFT was tabbed as the Conference USA Freshman of the Year. She ranked among the league leaders with a team-best 20 points and eight goals. Craft, who started all 18 contests for U of L, was also an all-freshman team selection. She finished the year tied for the team-lead in game-winning goals with two and was second on the team with 41 shots.

Sitch, Perrott and Bankster were joined on the First-Team All-Conference USA by forwards MEGAN McCALLION (East Carolina), YUIKO KONNO (Memphis), JAMIE PERRY (Saint Louis) and TARA KIDWELL (UAB); midfielders NIKKI HAWKINS (Houston), NICKY McLEOD (Memphis) and KATE REED (USF); and defenders LINDSAY SMALE (Marquette), ASIA SIMONS (Tulane) and BRIANA McCARTY (UAB).

East Carolina, Memphis, USF and UAB led the way with two first team selections, followed by DePaul, Houston, Marquette, Saint Louis and Tulane with one each.

Thursday’s first round matches feature sixth-seeded DePaul (12-6-1, 6-3-1) against third-seeded Marquette (11-7-1, 7-3-0) at noon (EST) and seventh-seeded Tulane (11-6-1, 6-4-0) against second-seeded TCU (9-8-1, 7-3-) at 2:30 p.m., in afternoon action. The evening session opens with fifth-seeded Saint Louis (12-5-2, 6-3-1) taking on fourth-seeded USF (8-7-2, 6-3-1) at 5 p.m. followed by eight-seeded and host Charlotte (7-11-1, 5-4-1) battling top-seed UAB (13-4-0, 8-2-0) at 7:30 p.m. The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The championship match on Saturday starts at 2 p.m., and will be televised by affiliates of the Conference USA Television Network.


2003 CONFERENCE USA WOMEN’S SOCCER AWARDS

First-Team All-Conference USA
F: Tara Kidwell, UAB
F: Jamie Perry, Saint Louis
F: Yuiko Konno, Memphis
F: Megan McCallion, East Carolina
MF: Julianne Sitch, DePaul
MF: Nikki Hawkins, Houston
MF: Nicky McLeod, Memphis
MF: Kate Reed, USF
D: Penny Perrott, East Carolina
D: Lindsay Smale, Marquette
D: Asia Simons, Tulane
D: Briana McCarty, UAB
GK: Breck Bankster, USF

Second-Team All-Conference USA
F: Tasha Wagner, Cincinnati
F: Jessi Moore, TCU
F: Courtney Crandell, Charlotte
MF: Anne Ioder, Marquette
MF: Christie Cigno, Saint Louis
MF: Jenny Rynders, UAB
D: Kim Moore, Charlotte
D: Kristina Wilson, Cincinnati
D: Emily Allwardt, Houston
D: Anny Lucier, Saint Louis
GK: Katie Bissen, Marquette

Third-Team All-Conference USA
F: Jamie Craft, Louisville
F: Amy Van Zandt, TCU
F: Jill Knottek, UAB
MF: Kelly Ferguson, Saint Louis
MF: Karrissa Hill, TCU
MF: Jackie Obert, Tulane
D: Tiffany Ross, Charlotte
D: Amber Prindle, DePaul
D: Carolyn Klopp, Marquette
D: Stacci Sastre, USF
D: Kay Beth Costilow, USM
GK: Lindsay Desaon, DePaul

All-Freshman Team (No position restriction)
Shannon Huffman, GK, Charlotte
Becky Imhoff, MF, Cincinnati
Lauren Spacht, F, DePaul
Nicole Zygmontowicz, D, Houston
Jamie Craft, F, Louisville
Beth McGill, F, Marquette
Dee Guempel, MF, Saint Louis
Courtney Hulcer, MF, Saint Louis
Ashley Fortune, F, TCU
Jackie Obert, MF, Tulane
Pam Cooney, D, UAB
Jen Williams, MF, UAB

Freshman of the Year
Jamie Craft, Louisville

Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Penny Perrott, East Carolina
Breck Bankster, USF

Offensive Player of the Year
Julianne Sitch, DePaul

Coach of the Year
Paul Harbin, UAB