Top Team: Women’s Soccer
With a second-round NCAA appearance, seven players earning All-UAA honors, and the league’s Coaching Staff of the Year, women’s soccer boasts an impressive list of accomplishments for 2007. A 5–0 start to the season indicated what the Maroons were made of this fall, but the squad proved its worth as a playoff-bound team when it battled back from a 2–0 deficit and forced double overtime against defending national champion Wheaton.
Top Rookie: Alex Clifford
Leading men’s soccer with six goals on the year, including two game winners, Clifford also tied for a team-tying three assists. The midfielder has already garnered several postseason honors, including Chicago’s sole mention to the All-UAA first team, and the UAA Rookie of the Year award.
Women’s Cross-Country MVP: Hannah Moots
Although she fell short of her quest to qualify for nationals, fourth-year Hannah Moots was the veteran leader of a young squad in need of experience. Finishing a team-high 13th place at the UAA championship meet, Moots earned selection to the All-UAA second team. Consistently at the front of Chicago’s pack, she led her team in three of her five appearances, while taking second in the other two.
Men’s Cross-Country MVP: Ryan McCarl
A 24:33 time on the eight-km course at the Midwest Regionals locked up fourth-year Ryan McCarl’s return trip to the NCAA stage. Pacing the Maroons all season, McCarl clocked the fastest time for Chicago in six of his seven races to become a steady and reliable leader of the pack.
Women’s Soccer MVP: Brooke Bontz
If becoming the leading goal scorer on an offense as potent as Chicago’s weren’t enough, second-year forward Brooke Bontz also ensured her squad postseason berth by scoring two goals in a fifteen minute span to give her squad a come-from-behind victory against Wash U. An All-UAA first team selection, the second-year forward tallied seven goals and two assists on the year.
Men’s Soccer MVP: Jon Cartwright
One of two players to start all 17 games this season, fourth-year defender Jon Cartwright formed the backbone of the Maroons’ defense. The ironman veteran set the tone for a young back five that came together for a 1.59 GAA and held back some strong league offenses to keep Chicago in some close games.
Volleyball MVP: Koryn Kendall
A critical offensive force, fourth-year middle hitter Koryn Kendall led the Maroons in attacking percentage with a .387 mark and in kills per game with 3.31. The veteran sealed her spot on the All-UAA second team after tearing up the court at the Second Round Robin. Kendall closed the books on the season by making her way to the top of the charts in career total blocks (389) and assists (244) and coming in runner-up in career kills (1,135) and block solos (145).
Football MVP: Thomas Parks
Breaking onto the Maroon football scene in his rookie year, Parks led Chicago’s offense by wide margins in both yards and points this season, picking up 703 rushing yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Reaching the end zone four times in Chicago’s September 29 win over Lewis & Clark, Parks tied the modern era record for TDs in a single game.
