All-League Awards Release
 
INDIANAPOLIS (10/29/2012) -- The Horizon League handed out its 2012 conference awards on Monday for women's soccer and the Detroit Titans were among the big winners as junior Kaitlyn Quarrell was named the Offensive Player of the Year, junior Nora Abolins was selected the Goalkeeper of the Year and Mike Lupenec was tabbed the Coach of the Year.
 
In addition, Quarrell and Abolins were named to the All-Conference First Team along with sophomore Alyssa Riley. Junior Abby McCollum and senior Sarah Dzuris took home second team honors, while freshman Heather Brown was named to the All-Newcomer squad.
 
“I'm happy for all of our girls because they have put the hard work in for our team this year. We had some mistakes early on in the season and you look at where we are now and with these end of the year awards, the whole team is responsible for our success and we have to make sure we are ready for the conference tournament,” said Lupenec.
 
This marks the first time Quarrell and Abolins have won an individual conference award and the third coaching honor for Lupenec.  It also marks the second-straight year and the fifth time (2012, 2011, 2003, 2002, 1996) in the 20 year history of the women's soccer program that three Titans have been named to the All-Conference First Team. 

"It's an honor to be picked by your peers, but there are a lot of people involved who should get credit. Our assistant coaches Jamie Huff and Mike Sheehy, our strength coach Joe Tofferi, and the staff and administration have all been instrumental in keeping our team fit and prepared to play. They constantly put our team in a position to do well,” said Lupenec.
 
Quarrell earns All-Conference honors for the third-straight season after garnering second team and All-Newcomer team as a freshman in 2010 and First Team accolades last year.
 
Abolins also earns conference honors for the third-straight year with second team honors on her plate from last season and All-Newcomer team recognition as a freshman.
 
McCollum was named to All-Newcomer team as a freshman and All-Conference First Team last season, while Riley was named to the All-Newcomer team in 2011. It is the first career conference honor for Dzuris, while Lupenec was named the Coach of the Year in both 2000 and 2005.
 
Abolins recorded her ninth shutout of the season and 24th of her career in Wednesday's regular season finale against Youngstown State. With the shutout, Abolins now ranks first all-time in UDM women's soccer in career shutouts and also tied the single-season mark of nine in one season. She currently has a 0.52 goals against average on the season. In seven league contests, she has recorded five shutouts to lead the league and has posted four straight, not allowing a goal in the last 363:22 of play dating back to the final minutes at Valparaiso back on Oct. 6.
 
Quarrell finished the season with four goals and three assists for 11 points to lead the Titans. She was third in the league in goals and was tied for second in the league with a game-winning marker against Canisius and the game-winner in the season finale against Youngstown State that clinched the No. 2 seed for the Titans.
 
McCollum finished tied with Quarrell for the team lead in points and had game-winning tallies against Marygrove, along with the lone goal in the 1-0 victory at Green Bay. McCollum finished tied for the team lead in total shots and led the squad with 21 shots on goal.
 
Riley was a steady midfielder for the Titans often shadowing the opposing team's top offensive player. She finished with four assists, third best in the HL, including helpers on McCollum's goal at Green Bay and also on Nina Carter's game-winner at Wright State. She was also fourth on the team in total shots on the year.
 
Dzuris earns conference honors for the first time in her four-year career. The midfielder turned defender this season helped the Titans allow just eight goals in 16 games as the Titans earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament for the second-straight year.
 
Detroit will have a first round bye and will play in the Horizon League Semifinals this Friday at 5:00 p.m. (ET) at Engelmann Field in Milwaukee, Wisc. UDM will play the highest remaining seed to advance from the quarterfinals in Tuesday's matches. A win would put Detroit in the championship match, scheduled for Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (ET).
 
Women's Soccer Award Winners:
Player of the Year: Helen Steinhauser, Milwaukee
Offensive Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Quarrell, Detroit
Defensive Player of the Year: Lauren Patterson, Wright State
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nora Abolins, Detroit
Newcomer of the Year: Ini Umotong, Wright State
Coach of the Year: Mike Lupenec, Detroit
 
First Team All-League:
Helen Steinhauser, Milwaukee
Kaitlyn Quarrell, Detroit
Lauren Patterson, Wright State
Luisa Desario, Valparaiso
Alyssa Riley, Detroit
Kelly Lewers, Milwaukee
Rachel Hoaglin, Valparaiso
Jessica Hubly, Loyola
Jade Flory, Youngstown State
Kelsey Holbert, Milwaukee
Nora Abolins, Detroit
 
Second Team All-League:
Megan Braatz, Green Bay
Krissy Dorre, Milwaukee
Chelsie Stoke, Loyola
Jaime Avona, Cleveland State
Abby McCollum, Detroit
Amy Kauffung, Milwaukee
Chelsea Haney, Youngstown State
Allie Metzler, Wright State
Sarah Dzuris, Detroit
Valerie Gonyo, Loyola
Brooke McCurdy, Wright State
 
All-Newcomer Team:
Ini Umotong, Wright State
Rita Craven, Valparaiso
Sarrah Ludwig, Valparaiso
Heather Brown, Detroit
Mariah Vichich, Loyola
Vickie Havas, Cleveland State
Sydney Born, Green Bay
Ashli Gogolin, Wright State
Chelsey Haney, Youngstown State
Tyesha Kizer, Youngstown State
Jenny Fassbinder, Valparaiso
Shay Sade, Youngstown State