McKernan to Play for Billikens
May 27, 2008
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis head women's soccer coach Tim Champion has announced that forward/midfielder Maura McKernan (St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) has committed to attend the University and play for the Billikens this fall. McKernan will have four years of eligibility. The 5-foot-5 McKernan helped lead Visitation to a 16-10 record in the recently completed 2008 season. She was named Athlete of the Week by the Suburban Journal on April 30 and was selected as a St. Louis Metro All-Area Leader by Rise magazine. McKernan was named to the Missouri State High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State first team, the Metro Women's Athletic Association (MWAA) All-Conference first team and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro honorable mention list as a sophomore and junior. She tallied a school-record 23 goals and added 11 assists as a junior to help lead the Vivettes to a fourth-place state finish. As a sophomore, McKernan topped the MWAA Red League in points, goals and game-winning goals and helped propel Visitation to the state co-championship. "Maura has good speed and an aggressive style of play, which should make her transition to the collegiate level a lot easier," Champion said. "She has an outstanding work ethic and plays hard." McKernan was a member of the Coca-Cola Wave club team that won the Missouri State Cup and reached the regional semifinals in 2004. Also an outstanding student, she is a member of National Honor Society, a four-year honor student and the recipient of the 2007 Principal's Award for the junior class. McKernan joins back Andrea Barklage (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word), forward/midfielder Jessica Lopez (Chandler, Ariz./Seton Catholic Prep), back Sarah Reinking (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South), forward Jasmina Suljic (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville), goalkeeper Hannah Perry (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) and defender/midfielder Colleen Kustura (Huntington Beach, Calif./Ocean View) in the Billikens' 2008 recruiting class.
Saint Louis posted a 10-6-2 record (7-2-2 Atlantic 10) in 2007, giving the program at least 10 victories for the 10th time in its 12-year history. The Billikens have made two NCAA Tournament appearances, won three regular-season conference championships and captured two conference tournament crowns. |
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