Swift Named
Region IX Player of the Year
(Houghton,
N.Y.)—Hannah Swift, a forward for the Houghton College women’s soccer
team, has capped off a superlative season by being named Player of the
Year in Region IX of the National Association of Intercollegiate
Athletics (NAIA).
Swift
scored 19 goals in as many games for Houghton, and proved her
unselfishness by being second on the team in assists, with six. Her nine
game-winning goals were second in the country.
“With the
loss of Beth Kowalczyk to injury,
Hannah stepped up
and took the lead in our attack,” said David Lewis, the Highlanders’
head coach. “She demonstrates great composure in front of the net.”
Swift, a
junior from Perrysburg, N.Y., led the Highlanders to a 13-3-3 record and
a berth in the NAIA national tournament, where they advanced to the
second round before falling to the national runner-up, Azusa Pacific.
Swift’s
selection marks six consecutive years (and eight of the last ten) that
the Region IX Player of the Year has been a Highlander. Kowalczyk
(Waterford, Pa./Ft. LeBoeuf) earned the title in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
JoAnna Beardsley (Fillmore, N.Y./Fillmore Central School) was the
honoree in 2003. In 2002 it was Hannah Toth (Victor, N.Y./Victor).
In
addition to her regional honors, Swift was First Team All-Conference and
Player of the Year in the American Mideast Conference. As Player of the
Year she is an automatic selection to the All-Region First Team. During
the season Swift earned conference offensive Player of the Week honors
and was the NAIA’s offensive Player of the Week, too.
