OMAHA, Neb. – A pair of University of Evansville freshmen highlighted the annual Missouri Valley Conference women’s soccer awards banquet for the Purple Aces Thursday night in Omaha, Neb.  Simone Busby was named the MVC Goalkeeper of the Year, while Abby Springer received MVC Freshman of the Year honors.
 
In addition to Busby and Springer, four other UE players earned All-MVC recognition and the UE coaching staff was named the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.  Head coach Krista McKendree and her staff guided the Aces to a 4-1-1 Valley record and Evansville’s first MVC regular-season championship since 2008 despite its seventh-place selection in the MVC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
 
Junior Stephanie Thompson joined Busby and Springer on the All-MVC First Team, as UE garnered three first-team selections.  Busby led the MVC and currently leads the nation with a .940 save percentage, while her league-best 0.32 goals against average ranks her third in the country.  Springer led the Aces this season with 12 points on five goals and a pair of assists, including a three-goal effort in a 4-1 win over Illinois State in the MVC opener, marking the first time an Evansville player had recorded a hat trick since 2008.  Thompson ranked second on the team with 10 points, as she found the back of the net four times, including a pair of game-winners, and dished out a pair of assists.
 
Sophomore defender Taylor Brand was named to the All-MVC Second team and senior midfielder Olivia Robinson received All-MVC Honorable Mention laurels.  Brand was recognized as the MVC Defender of the Week this year for her efforts in UE’s 4-1 win over preseason favorite Illinois State, as she held MVC Player of the Year Rachel Tejada to just two shots with none of them being on goal.  Robinson was a key component of Evansville’s defensive unit that allowed just two goals and posted four shutouts in six league games.
 
UE also placed three players on the MVC All-Freshman Team, as forward Kayla Smith earn a spot on the 12-player squad along with Busby and Springer.  Smith finished her freshman campaign with nine points, scoring four goals and recording an assist.  The Evansville, Ind., native tallied four points in UE’s final three games of the regular season, notching the game-winner against Northern Iowa and scoring on her only shot against Indiana State.
 
The top-seeded Aces will open MVC Tournament play Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., when they take on fifth-seeded Indiana State at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb.