Nov. 3, 2005

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Bemidji State University soccer team, coming off its best regular season in program history, placed a school record six players on the Northern Sun Intercollegiate All-Conference Team. Head Coach Jim Stone was named NSIC Coach of the Year and goalkeeper Kari Torgerson (Jr.; New Hope, Minn.) was named NSIC Defensive Player of the Year for the first time.

On the NSIC All-Conference First Team was defender Tegan Moehn (Jr.; Ramsey, Minn.) and Torgerson. Second Team honors were given to defender Erin Foss (Sr.; Bismarck, N.D.) and forward Katie Meinhardt (Jr.; Maple Grove, Minn.). Earning honorable mention for BSU was midfielders Lindsey Natwick (Sr.; Bismarck, N.D.) and Megan Wallner (So.; Bemidji, Minn.).

Stone, in his fourth year with the program, earned Coach of the Year honors for the first time. He came into the program in 2002 with a team that had posted a 4-12-1 overall record (1-7-1 NSIC) the previous season. Since Stone arrived, BSU has set single season school records for wins in each of his four seasons, including a 12-3-6 overall record (9-1-4 NSIC) with two tournament games left to play this season.

Earning the Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference First Team honors, Torgerson has posted an 11-2-5 overall record (9-1-4 NSIC) this season. She tied her own school record of seven shutouts this season, and a has allowed a microscopic goals against average of 0.87. Of her seven shutouts, four and a half of them were against NSIC foes. Torgerson has been an all-conference selection in each of her three years at BSU.

Moehn, who plays the center back position on the defense, earned all-conference honors for the second straight season gaining First Team recognition. This season, she has started all 21 games for a defense that has allowed just 0.85 goals per game. On the offensive end, Moehn has also contributed, providing two goals and three assists good for seven points.

On the NSIC All-Conference Second Team is Meinhardt and Foss. Meinhardt, a junior earning her third straight all-conference selection, lead BSU in goal scoring with nine this season, while also posting an assist to total 19 points. After missing the first six games of 2005 with an injury, she scored her nine goals in just 15 games played.

Foss, who also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors this week, earned all-conference honors for the first time in her four-year career. Over her four years, Foss has played in all 79 BSU games, tying her with current teammate Cristina Egnell for the school record. She has posted one goal this season.

Lindsey Natwick and Megan Wallner round out the BSU honors being selected to the NSIC Honorable Mention. Natwick, a four-year mainstay for BSU, has scored three goals and five assists this season in 19 games. Over her career, Natwick has totaled a school record 22 assists, which is twice as many as the next highest held by BSU Hall of Famer Becky Elk.

Wallner, also a midfielder, earned all-conference honors for the first time in her career. The sophomore has posted six goals inlcuding four and one assist while starting all 21 games this season.

Bemidji State, coming off their NSIC Tournament First Round victory over MSU-Moorhead 1-0 on Tuesday, will take on Northern State in semifinal action in Winona, Minn., the site of the final two rounds of the conference tournament. BSU beat Northern State 3-0 in Aberdeen, S.D., and then battled to a 1-1 tie in Bemidji, Minn.

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