No. 1 USC Places Six On 2006 All-MPSF Teams
May 03, 2006 | Women's Water Polo
May 3, 2006
Complete All-MPSF Teams in PDF Format
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From a team bursting with talent, six Women of Troy have received 2006 honors from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for their outstanding efforts as members of the top-ranked USC women's water polo team. Seniors Lauren Wenger and Moriah Van Norman lead the way as USC's representatives on the All-MPSF First Team. Also earning accolades for their efforts in pushing the Trojans through a 25-game winning streak and to a top seed into the upcoming NCAA Championships are juniors Brittany Hayes (Second Team) and Erika Figge (Honorable Mention), redshirt freshman goalie Whitney Morgan (Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team) and true freshman Kami Craig (All-Freshman Team).
This is Lauren Wenger's first selection as an All-MPSF first-teamer, having been named to the second team as a junior. This year, Wenger has scored 32 goals for the Trojans, moving up to rank in an eighth-place tie on USC's all-time career scoring list with 122 career goals. Wenger is also one of the most dominating 2-meter defenders in the nation, and was largely responsible for shutting down all comers during USC's undefeated run through the regular season. Wenger and Van Norman also were named to the 2006 MPSF Mikasa All-Tournament Team following the MPSF Tournament action last weekend.
Moriah Van Norman was an All-MPSF first-team selection as a sophomore as well, when she went on to earn the Peter J. Cutino Award following USC's 2004 NCAA Championship victory. She was a second-team selection as a freshman and as a junior. This season, Van Norman is the Trojans' second leading scorer with 46 goals and is currently just four goals away from moving into the No. 3 spot for all-time career scoring. Following a six-goal performance at the MPSF Tournament, Van Norman has scored 209 goals in her career at USC. She stands out as one of the most talented 2-meter players in the game.
Brittany Hayes has been selected to this year's All-MPSF Second Team in her junior season. She leads the Women of Troy with 48 goals and now ranks No. 6 all-time with 158 career goals. She was an All-MPSF first-teamer as a sophomore and was on the All-Freshman Team in her first season at Troy.
This is Erika Figge's second pick for All-MPSF Honorable Mention, having received the award as a freshman as well. Now a junior, Figge has punched in 20 goals for USC and has been an effective sprinter and playmaker for the Trojans this year. She is joined with Honorable Mention by goalie Whitney Morgan, who redshirted the 2005 season and has been an instant success for USC in her first year in the cage. Morgan has 178 saves this season, averaging 7.1 saves per game to rank No. 28 in the nation.
As a redshirt freshman, Morgan also earned a place on the MPSF's All-Freshman Team along with true freshman Kami Craig. Craig has given USC a formidable one-two punch at the 2-meter position along with Van Norman. She is third on the team in scoring with 35 goals in her first year at Troy, and has proven herself an invaluable addition to the center position for USC.
USC's 2006 All-MPSF Selections:
FIRST TEAM
Lauren Wenger, Senior, 2-Meter Def. (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson HS)
Moriah Van Norman, Senior, 2-Meter (San Diego, Calif./University HS)
SECOND TEAM
Brittany Hayes, Junior, Utility (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS)
HONORABLE MENTION
Erika Figge, Junior, Utility (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita HS)
Whitney Morgan, RS-Freshman, Goalkeeper (Sacramento, Calif./Rio Americano HS)
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Kami Craig, 2-Meter (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS)
Whitney Morgan, Goalkeeper (Sacramento, Calif./Rio Americano HS)
