Lovejoy Chosen
National Player
of the Year
Soccer Honor
IN SOME WAYS, when senior midfielder Shannon Lovejoy walked off the field from her final Falcon soccer game, it was just the beginning.
Since playing a key role in Seattle Pacific University’s runner-up finish in the NCAA national soccer tournament, Lovejoy has been collecting awards from coast to coast. Shortly after concluding the season December 3, she was selected to the All-America team for the third year in a row, along with teammate Sarah Martinez and men’s player Ross Vaillancourt.
Then the New Year began with a bang. Lovejoy became the first Falcon to be chosen as the national player of the year in any sport, traveling to Philadelphia to accept the award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Shortly after she returned to Seattle, more good news was waiting: She was named a finalist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sports Star of the Year.
“The great thing is that Shannon considered these team awards, a tribute for all the things the team accomplished,” said her coach, Chuck Sekyra. “She played a huge role in where our program stands today, as one of the nation’s best.”
Lovejoy scored eight goals and added nine assists as the Falcons reached the NCAA championship game in December. She scored the clinching penalty kick in a tiebreaker during the quarterfinal round of the playoffs and a goal in the semifinal win. Over her career, she set virtually every Seattle Pacific singlegame, season, and career scoring record. She is also the Great Northwest Athletic Conference career points leader.
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