4 GRINNELL WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS COLLECT ALL-MIDWEST CONFERENCE HONORS
Grinnell College Athletics
GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College’s women’s soccer team put together a superb season, and the Pioneers have been rewarded for that performance with four All-Midwest Conference selections.
Carolyn Silverman ’17 (upper left) and Nora Sahel ’17 (upper right) were named to the All-MWC first team, while Annika Helverson ’18 (lower left) and Lauren Edwards ’20 (lower right) earned spots on the second team.
The Pioneers had a particularly strong end to the year, as they closed out the regular season with a five-game winning streak and went 8-2-1 in their last 11 regular-season contests. Grinnell advanced to the MWC Tournament title game for the 10th time in program history.
Silverman, a forward from Bettendorf, Iowa (Bettendorf), is a two-time All-MWC pick, having been selected to the second team in 2014. She had a team-high nine goals, four game-winning goals and 57 shots, all numbers that ranked among the league leaders. She finished her career with 25 goals.
Sahel, a midfielder from Madison, Wis. (East), was a steady force in the middle for the Pioneers. One of three players to start every game for the Pioneers this season, she had one goal and two assists. For her career, she had eight goals and nine assists.
Helverson, a defender from Los Angeles, Calif. (Sherman Oaks Center), also started all 19 games this season and sparked a defense that gave up just over one goal per game. Helverson also shared the team lead for assists with two.
Edwards, a defender from Lincoln, Calif. (Lincoln), made an impact immediately in her first collegiate season. She was part of a defense that helped Grinnell post seven shutouts in 2016, a figure that ranked third in the MWC.
Individual MWC awards went to Ripon College’s Paige Brischbach (offensive player of the year), Lake Forest College’s Shari Jacobson (defensive player of the year), Monmouth College’s Kara-Jade Gordon (newcomer of the year), Knox College’s Paul Lawrence (coach of the year) and St. Norbert College’s Hanna Reinke (Elite 20 Award winner). Lawrence University claimed the sportsmanship award.
