SEATTLE (Nov. 9) ­ Shannon Lovejoy (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep) of Seattle Pacific University was voted the player of the year in women's soccer and Chuck Sekyra earned coach of the year honors for the second straight season in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Shannon Lovejoy (top left), Michelle Sanders (top right), Sarah Martinez (lower left), and Jennifer Hull earned first-team status on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-star teams.

Seattle Pacific also got the newcomer of the year award again, with defender Carolyn Nason (So., Lafayette, Co.) taking that honor. In all, SPU placed four players on the GNAC first team all-stars, another on the second team and three more received honorable mention.

The Falcons won their third straight conference championship last week and are ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II. They host the Far West regional tournament beginning Thursday at Interbay Stadium.

Lovejoy (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep), who led the GNAC in scoring as a sophomore, currently has seven goals and nine assists from her attacking midfield role. She made the GNAC first team for the third time. Joining her were SPU top scorer Michelle Sanders (Sr., Centralia, Wa.), freshman Sarah Martinez (Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) and goalkeeper Jennifer Hull (Sr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon). Sanders, like Lovejoy, a unanimous choice, is a three-time selection and Hull has made the team twice.

Sekyra has not lost a conference game since taking the helm in 2003. The Falcons are one of the top defensive teams in the nation and are one shutout from tying the Div. II season record of 17.

Defensive midfielder Sarah Melby (Sr., Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak) was second team all-conference. Last year's newcomer award winner, Heidi Jacobson (Jr., Kirkland, Wa./Cedar Park Christian), Michelle Everson (Jr., Tacoma, Wa./Stadium) and Nason, a transfer from Metro State (Co.), received honorable mention.

2004 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-STAR TEAM
*Unanimous +Repeater from 2002 ++ Repeater from 2002 and 2003

First Team
*++Michelle Sanders, SPU F 5-9 Sr. Centralia, WA
*Chela Gray, WWU F 5-5 Sr. Kaneohe, HI
Katy McNutt, NNU F 5-3 Fr. Vancouver, WA
Sarah Martinez, SPU F 5-6 Fr. Bothell, WA
*+++Tafara Pulse, SU M 5-3 Sr. Yakima, WA
*++Shannon Lovejoy, SPU M 5-8 Jr. Seattle, WA
Lesa Lewis, HSU M 5-6 Sr. San Diego, CA
+Ana Gutierrez, SU D 5-2 So. Fort Collins, CO
Stephanie Pogue, WOU D 5-5 Sr. Eagle Point, OR
Erin Casey, WWU D 5-8 Jr. Redmond, WA
+Jennifer Hull, SPU GK 5-4 Sr. Eugene, OR

Second Team
Lacey Lewis, HSU F 5-6 Jr. San Diego, CA
Cassy Smith, SU F 5-6 So. Prosser, WA
Hilary Davidson, CWU F 5-7 Fr. Auburn, WA
Amanda Font, WWU M 5-9 Fr. Federal Way, WA
Sarah Melby, SPU M 5-11 Sr. Mukilteo, WA
Ashley Porter, SU M 5-9 Fr. Redmond, WA
Jamie Kellett, NNU M 5-6 So. Gig Harbor, WA
Erica Hibbard, WOU D 5-6 Fr. Vancouver, WA
Jamie Bankston, CWU D 5-9 Jr. Bellevue, WA
Kia Crotty, SU D 5-5 Sr. Des Moines, WA
Teresa Fish, WWU GK 5-7 So. Snohomish, WA

Honorable Mention
Leah Wymer, SU F 5-6 Fr. Bothell, WA
Katy Sebens, WWU F 5-3 So. Oak Harbor, WA
Heidi Jacobson, SPU M 5-4 Jr. Kirkland, WA
Lizzy Page, WWU M 5-7 Jr. Sammamish, WA
Jess Hewins, HSU M 5-6 So. Sacramento, CA
Katie Coppoletta, HSU M 5-5 So. Redondo Beach, CA
Michelle Beattie, CWU M 5-9 Fr. Seattle, WA
Katie Weber, WWU M 5-7 So. Yakima, WA
Mandi Johnson, NNU M 5-5 Jr. Boise, ID
Michelle Everson, SPU D 5-6 Jr. Tacoma, WA
Carolyn Nason, SPU D 5-4 So. Lafayette, CO
Amy McMenamin, WOU D 5-5 So. Tualatin, OR
Maureen Wishkoski, SU D 5-3 Sr. Richland, WA
Elissa White, HSU D 5-5 Fr. Bakersfield, CA
Kelsey Gomula, HSU D 5-6 Fr. San Diego, CA
Amy Bouska, WWU D 5-11 Sr. Des Moines, WA
Staci Self, HSU GK 5-8 So. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Amanda Merrell, NNU GK 5-5 Fr. Spokane, WA