Chico State Athletics - Ali Sward turns in career year, honored as All-CCAA First Team selection

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Ali Sward turns in career year, honored as All-CCAA First Team selection

Ali Sward was the Wildcats' lone representative on the 2009 All-CCAA Women's Soccer First Team.

11/5/2009 4:50:34 PM

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – The Chico State women’s soccer team is still in the hunt for an NCAA Championship Tournament berth, and as the ’Cats prepare for their California Collegiate Athletic Assocition (CCAA) Tournament opener against Cal State L.A. Friday, senior midfielder Ali Sward can feel good knowing that she is among 11 players in the conference to earn All-CCAA First Team honors.

Kelsey Ikemoto was an All-CCAA Honorable Mention.

The selection, announced Thursday, is Sward’s second All-CCAA award – she was a second team all-conference choice in 2008. This season, Sward has easily been the key component of the Chico State offense – the senior from Ocean Beach notched single-season bests with seven goals and eight assists in ’09, contributing directly to 15 of the 22 goals the Wildcats scored during the

Molly Downtain also garnered Honorable Mention recognition.

regular season. Sward finished the regular season ranked third in the CCAA in assists, and tied for seventh in points (22). With at least one more match to play, Sward sits just outside the Chico State career top 10 in goals scored (14), assists (11) and total points (39).

Senior goalkeeper Natalie Bensky, junior forward/midfielder Kelsey Ikemoto and sophomore defender Molly Downtain were also recognized by the CCAA Thursday, earning conference Honorable Mentions.

Liz Franco of Cal State L.A. was named the CCAA Women’s Soccer Most Valuable Offensive Player, with teammate Amanda Matthews selected as the conference’s Most Valuable Defensive Player. UC San Diego’s Jessica Wi and

Natalie Bensky netted a CCAA Honorable Mention.

Ann Marie Tangorra of Cal State L.A. shared the CCAA Freshman of the Year award, while Britney Vance of Cal State Dominguez Hills was named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. Chris Chamides of Cal State L.A. – ranked in the top 10 nationally and No. 1 in the West Region – was chosen as CCAA Coach of the Year.

Click here for a complete list of All-CCAA First and Second Team selections, and Honorable Mentions.

Chico State takes on Cal State L.A. in one of Friday’s two CCAA Tournament semi-final matches. The Wildcats and Golden Eagles are scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.

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September 2010

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Thu, Sep. 02, 2010

Women's Soccer
vs Western Washington
4:30 p.m.

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Wildcats of the Week

Kacie McCarthy

Softball

Kacie McCarthy’s freshman season as a Wildcat has been filled with highlights, but the Shingletown native turned in her most memorable performances of the year last weekend in the NCAA West Sub-Regional at Sonoma State, posting three straight victories and helping Chico State advance to the West Super Regional in Hawaii. The Wildcats are just two wins away from reaching the Division II College World Series, thanks in large part to the pitching prowess of McCarthy, who is the latest recipient of Wildcat of the Week honors.

In Friday’s Sub-Regional opener, McCarthy took over for Chico State starter Jessica McDermott and tossed seven-and-a-third innings of relief, striking out a career-high 11 batters and earning the win as the Wildcats beat 15th ranked Grand Canyon University 5-4 in eight innings. In Saturday’s winner’s bracket game versus No. 14 Sonoma State, McCarthy twirled a one-hit shutout in Chico State’s 7-0 victory over the host Seawolves. Sunday McCarthy completed the postseason trifecta, going the distance for the 18th time this year and getting credit for the “W” as the ’Cats rallied back from three runs down to score four times in the bottom of the sixth inning and pull out a 4-3 victory over Dixie State to sweep through the Sub-Regional and advance to this weekend’s West Super Regional.

McCarthy, now 16-10 on the season, lowered her season ERA to 1.92 with the three weekend wins and is ranked third among California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) pitchers. She also is sixth in the conference in victories and innings pitched (164.1). She leads the Wildcats in wins, complete games, innings pitched and appearances (29).

Chico State takes on the No. 3 ranked Sea Warriors of Hawaii Pacific Friday at 5 p.m. Pacific time in the opener of the West Super Regional in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The winner of the best-of-three set will advance to the Division II College World Series May 27-31 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Brian Beeman

Men's Track

As a decathlete, Brian Beeman is used to running all over the place. But he took it to a new level last week. After competing in the decathlon, high jump and javelin to help lead the Chico State men’s track & field team to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship March 6-8, he got on a bus and arrived back in Chico in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Then, he turned around to head back to Southern California for the Claremont Classic Decathlon and turned in an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark and personal best score of 6,512 on Thursday and Friday.

That iron-man feet has earned him Wildcat of the Week honors.

Beeman finished sixth at the Burns Track and Field Complex while logging the 15th best score in the nation this year. He won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:31.75, placed third in the 400-meter dash (51.19 seconds) and tied for third in the high jump (6-feet-02.75).

Beeman and a number of his Wildcats teammates now await Wednesday morning’s NCAA Track and Field Championships selection show to found out if he’s earned a berth to the National Championships May 27-29 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

9.2.10 | Women's Soccer

Chicowildcats.com now featuring soccer live stats

The Chico State Athletic Departments is pleased to announce that live stats for Chico State men's and women's soccer are now available. Simply click on the team's home page and then the Live Stats link on the right hand side. Live stats will be provided for every home match, and will also be available for all road California Collegiate Athletic Association matches via the host institution's web page.

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9.1.10 | Women's Soccer

Picture this: Women’s soccer team opens season Thursday

You don't always need a camera to take a memorable picture. The best picture I took last year, for instance, exists only in my brain. Molly Downtain is floating three feet above the soggy sod. Her mouth is open – somewhere between a guttural cry of victory and a beaming smile of bewilderment. Her fist pump has reached its peak. The knuckles on her right hand are bared.

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8.17.10 | Women's Soccer

Women’s soccer team rings in 2010

RENO, Nev. – There wasn't a bell announcing the start of the 2010 season for the Chico State and University of Nevada women's soccer teams. It just sounded like it when Melissa Pease's header pinged off the crossbar less than a minute into the match. That proved to be one of the most dangerous chances in the match as the teams played to a scoreless draw in an exhibition match at Mackay Stadium in Reno Tuesday.

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8.13.10 | General

See the Wildcats and save money with season tickets

The 2010 Chico State soccer and volleyball seasons are right around the corner and the best way to watch your favorite Wildcat in action is with a season ticket. Season ticket prices start at just $25 for an individual and can save you up to $92 off the regular admission price. Don't miss a bit of the action as the Wildcats battle it out in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Just click here to download a soccer season ticket form and/or here for a volleyball season ticket form and you on your way!

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7.20.10 | Women's Soccer

Mid-season showdown with Dominguez Hills at University Soccer Stadium highlights women’s soccer schedule

How rough and tumble is the Chico State women’s soccer team’s annual California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) schedule? Let’s put it this way: Cal State Dominguez Hills played in the NCAA Championship final last season following a less-than-spectacular 11-5 record in the CCAA.

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6.21.10 | Women's Soccer

Women’s soccer team recognized for success on the field and in the classroom

The afterglow of the Chico State women’s soccer team Sweet 16 run in 2009-10 just keeps getting better. With a roster full of not only stellar athletes, but scholars as well, Head Coach Kim Sutton’s women recently received a pair of postseason honors.

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1.18.10 | Women's Soccer

Bensky and Perlman honored by Jewish Sports Review

LOS ANGELES – After a stellar postseason run in 2009, including the first NCAA Championship Tournament victory in the history of the program, the Chico State women’s soccer team has received two more individual honors. Senior goalkeeper Natalie Bensky and junior forward Ashley Perlman were both selected as Jewish All-Americans by the Jewish Sports Review in its January/February 2010 edition.

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