Dolinsky, Johnson Earn NSCAA All-Region Honors

Dec. 8, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Monica Dolinsky

Kansas juniors Monica Dolinsky and Estelle Johnson have been selected to the All-Central Region team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Johnson was named a first team defender, while Dolinsky earned second team honors as a midfielder.

This marks the first time KU has placed multiple student-athletes on the NSCAA’s All-Central Region team since 2004.

Johnson, a junior defender from Fort Collins, Colo., becomes the first Jayhawk to be named first team all-region since Holly Gault, Meghan Miller and Afton Sauer all received the honor in 2004. The 5-foot-9 junior started every match for the Jayhawks in 2008, and played a team-high 2,110 minutes in the defensive backfield. She anchored a defensive unit which held opponents to a 1.52 goals against average and 13.5 shots per match. Johnson also tallied her first collegiate goal this season at Oklahoma State on Oct. 10.

Dolinsky, a junior midfielder from Carmel, Ind., earned First Team All-Big 12 honors at the end of the regular season. She led the Jayhawks with nine goals and 28 points, marking the fourth-highest point total in team history. Not only did she put up terrific numbers, she made her numbers count as 18 of her 29 points (six goals, six assists) either tied the score or gave the Jayhawks the lead. She also set a postseason record with three assists against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinal match on Nov. 5.

Of the 33 players named to the All-Central Region team, 17 came from the Big 12 Conference.

The Jayhawks (13-8-1) completed the season with a second-round loss to Stanford at the NCAA Tournament.