Averill is ACC Coach of the Year
11/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 5, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest field hockey head coach Jennifer Averill was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her tenure as voted by league's other head coaches. Michelle Kasold, Raisa Schiller, Minou Gimbrere and Aileen Davis also picked up All-ACC honors for standout performances in 2008.
Coach of the Year
Averill guided the Demon Deacons to a 17-2 regular season record to lead the league in overall winning percentage and hold the national runner-up spot in the same category. The Deacons accomplished the feat with one of the most strenuous schedules in the nation, ranking second in the NCAA's RPI category.
Wake Forest was ranked third in the STX/NFHCA preseason poll and remained in the top three throughout the regular season. In mid-September the Deacons reached the national top spot for the first time since November 2006.
The ACC last named Averill Coach of the Year in 2006. That season the Deacons claimed the conference tournament crown and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tournament. Averill also earned the honor in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
Wake Forest All-ACC Selections
Aileen Davis is a three year starter and helps anchor the team's backline. She earned All-ACC honors this year not only for her tremendous defensive efforts, but her contributions to the Wake Forest attack. Davis, a junior from Edinburgh, Scotland, has logged ten goals so far in 2008, surpassing the total of her freshman and sophomore seasons combined. Her eye-catching .923 shots-on-goal percentage is one of the team's best.
Minou Gimbrere is a versatile athlete that has provided leadership in the midfield this season. Gimbrere, a senior from the Netherlands, has really shined this year during penalty corners. Gimbrere has netted four goals of her own and assisted in 14 goals during corner plays. Gimbrere has logged 20 assists for 2008 and is currently tied for second in Wake Forest's single-season assist category.
Michelle Kasold is the Demon Deacon point leader, netting eight goals and 25 assists to combine for 41 points in 2008. Kasold, a dynamic attacking athlete from Chapel Hill, N.C., has a team-high four game-winning goals and now holds the program's single-season assist record (25) and career assist record (55). Kasold is now a three-time All-ACC honoree and has started every game for the Demon Deacons since her rookie season in 2005.
Raisa Schiller earned a spot on the All-ACC team for the first time in her career, though in 2007 she earned a place on the league's All-Academic team. Schiller, a junior midfielder from the Netherlands, has started the majority of games since 2006, but really broke through this season, posting eight goals and four assists.
The Deacons will begin play at the ACC Tournament on Thursday, battling Boston College at 4 p.m. in Durham, N.C. Please visit the ACC's Tournament Central for complete information.
WFU All-ACC Selections from L to R: Aileen Davis, Minou Gimbrere, Michelle Kasold, Raisa Schiller.
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