2015 MIAC WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg College forward Marie Fitzgerald (SR, Fort Atkinson, Wis.) was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, one of five Auggies to earn end-of-season honors from the MIAC in awards announced on Thursday.

Fitzgerald and teammate Marta Anderson (JR, Mankato, Minn./Mankato East HS) earned All-MIAC honors in a vote of conference coaches, while Carter Denison (JR, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) and Emily Gregg (JR, River Falls, Wis.) earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors. Lucy Bukowski (SR, Two Harbors, Minn.) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. It's the third straight year that Fitzgerald has earned conference honors, being named All-MIAC in 2014 and All-MIAC Honorable Mention in 2013. Anderson was an All-MIAC Honorable Mention selection last year, and it's the first conference honors for Denison, Gregg and Bukowski.

It's the second straight year that an Augsburg player has earned MIAC Women's Soccer Player of the Year honors, after Olivia Muyres earned the honor last season. This year, the conference's women's soccer coaches split the Player of the Year award into two categories, for offense and defense.

Fitzgerald finished the year as the conference's scoring champion, leading the MIAC's overall statistics in total points with 36, while tying for the conference high in goals with 13 and adding 10 assists, second-most in the MIAC. In league games-only (11 games), she led the MIAC with 20 points, while her eight goals were second-best and her four assists were tied for fifth-best. She had a goal or assist in 12 of her 20 games played this season, including three multi-goal games and seven multi-point games. Fitzgerald played in 1,526 minutes this season, a 76.3 minutes-per-game average, and had three game-winning goals. In 79 career games (68 starts), Fitzgerald finished her career with 37 goals and 25 assists for 99 points, finishing second in school history in career points, third in career goals and fourth in career assists.

A marketing major with a 3.82 grade-point average, Fitzgerald earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors for the second straight year in 2015, and has earned Academic All-MIAC honors each of the last two seasons. Fitzgerald is also a member of Augsburg's women's basketball team.

Anderson shined throughout the season as a scoring threat, finishing second on the team in points with 23, while her 11 assists were a team-high and her six goals were tied for third-most. Her 11 assists were tops among MIAC players in overall statistics, while her 23 points were fourth-most. Anderson started the season on a tear, with four goals and nine assists in Augsburg's first six games, as the Auggies outscored their opponents by a 30-1 margin in that span. She played in 1,566 minutes (78.3 minutes per-game) this season, third-most among Auggie players. In her 59-game career (58 starts), she now has 11 goals and 22 assists for 44 points, standing sixth in school history in career assists and 14th in points.

Denison continued her role as solid member of Augsburg's offensive attack, finishing the season with three goals and seven assists for 13 points, fifth on the team in points and third in assists. Her seven assists were tied for fourth-most among MIAC players in overall statistics. She played in 1,248 minutes (62.4 minutes per-game) this season and had two game-winning goals. In her 57 career games (50 starts), she now has 18 goals and 16 assists for 52 points -- tied for eighth in school history in career goals, 14th in career assists and ninth in career points.

Gregg was a dependable presence for the Auggies this season, as the anchor of an Augsburg defense that allowed just 15 goals and a 0.75 goals-against-average, both totals second-best among MIAC teams in 2015. Augsburg recorded 11 team shutouts this season, tied for the best among MIAC squads. Gregg played in a team-best 1,656 minutes this season (82.8 minutes per-game) and had one assist. In 59 career games (57 starts), Gregg has a goal and six assists for eight points.

Bukowski was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team, as part of the conference's sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.

A goalkeeper, Bukowski was one of the vocal leaders for the Auggies this season, serving with fellow senior Fitzgerald as a team co-captain. She appeared in five games (three starts) in goal this season, with a 3-0-0 record, one shutout and 13 saves, not allowing a goal in her 260:49 played. In her career, she appeared in 18 games (10 starts) with a 7-1-0 record and two shutouts, to go along with 33 saves and a 0.48 career goals-against-average.

Under 17th-year Head Coach Mike Navarre, Augsburg finished 14-6-0 overall, 8-3-0 in MIAC play in 2015, tying for second place in the MIAC standings. Augsburg reached the MIAC postseason playoffs for the third time in the last four years and the seventh time in program history, finishing with a double-digit victory total for the fourth straight year. Augsburg outscored its opponents by a 51-15 margin this season, with its goal total tops among MIAC teams by a 15-goal margin.