Dec. 3, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in program history, the University of Kentucky women’s soccer team had a player named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s (NSCAA) All-Region Team for four straight seasons, as it was announced on Wednesday that Arin Gilliland had been named First Team All-South Region for the fourth time in her career. Also joining Gilliland was junior midfielder Courtney Raetzman, who picked up her first-career NSCAA All-Region honor, as she was placed on the third team.
Gilliland (2011, 12, 13, 14) and Raetzman (2014) join Kelsey Hunyadi (2011) and Stuart Pope (2013) as the only NSCAA All-South Region players in program history, with all of them coming under head coach Jon Lipsitz, who will enter his seventh year at the helm of the Wildcats in 2015.
No other player in UK women’s soccer history has ever made more than two All-Region teams in their careers before Gilliland made all four during her four-year stay in Lexington from 2011-14. The Lexington, Ky., native who was also the 2014 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and four-time All-SEC scored seven goals and had eight assists this season, for 22 points as an outside back.
Raetzman, the Elk Grove, Ill., native was fantastic all season long in the midfield for Kentucky, playing over 1,900 minutes on the pitch while accumulating 14 points on six goals and two assists. Raetzman fired 44 shots this season with 20 on goal. She also produced two game-winning goals in SEC action this season, helping Kentucky to its first SEC Tournament Championship game since 2006.
In her illustrious four-year career, Gilliland played over 7,000 minutes on the field, scored 30 goals, had 25 assists for 85 career points. Gilliland set new UK records with 278 shots, with 81 of them coming on goal, and a new UK-record eight career game-winning goals.
Gilliland also leaves Lexington with a full trophy case, as she was named All-SEC four times, SEC All-Tournament Team in 2014, the Honda Inspiration Award winner in 2014, a two-time, and soon-to-be three-time All-American, seven-time SEC Player of the Week, two-time team captain, two-time MAC Hermann Award finalist, and much more. Gilliland has spent time on the United States U23 Women’s National Team, and is soon to get looks to the full team. She is projected right now to be a top-five pick in January’s National Women’s Soccer League College Draft, where she will start her professional soccer career in the spring with a club.
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