WU’s Hoecherl Earns Women’s Soccer AA Honors

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University senior defender Annie Hoecherl (West Valley, Utah) has been named a third team NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division II All-America, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced this week. Hoecherl is the first All-America in Wingate University women's soccer history.

Earlier this fall, Hoecherl was selected first team All-Southeast Region.Three Bulldogs joined Hoecherl as All-Southeast Region selections. Wingate senior forward Julie Law (Waxhaw, N.C.) and sophomore midfielder Kelly Munchel (Cincinnati, Ohio) were named second team All-Southeast Region. Bulldog freshman goalkeeper Alissa DiDonato (Lawrenceville, Ga.) earned third team All-Southeast Region honors.

Annie Hoecherl
Hoecherl was a first team All-South Atlantic Conference performer for the Bulldogs. Thanks to her efforts, Wingate allowed only 18 goals in 20 matches. The Bulldogs compiled nine shutouts.

On offense, Hoecherl had one goal and four assists for the Bulldogs this fall. She played three seasons at Brigham Young University prior to transferring to Wingate University during the spring of 2003.

Julie Law
Law is a four-time All-Southeast Region and All-South Atlantic Conference selection. The all-time leading scorer in Wingate University women's soccer history, Law has 71 goals and 30 assists. In 2003, Law led the SAC in scoring with 23 goals and six assists for 52 points. This season, she had eight match-winning goals, giving her 24 match-winners for her career.

In 2002, she had 15 goals and 10 assists as Wingate set a school-record for victories with 14. Law and her four-year teammates will graduate in May with a WU women's soccer program-record 50 wins. She has also earned three letters in basketball for the Bulldogs.

Kelly Munchel
Munchel is a two-time All-South Atlantic Conference performer. This year, Munchel had six goals and six assists. She was third on the team charts with 18 points. Munchel had two goals and two assists in an 8-0 home win over the University of Charleston (W.Va.) on Sept. 7, 2003.

In her two seasons, Munchel has started 39 of her 40 matches for the Bulldogs. In her first season in the blue-and-gold, Munchel had two goals and one assist for the Bulldogs.

Alissa DiDonato
DiDonato made an immediate impact on Wingate's fortunes as a true freshman. She allowed only 17 goals in 1443 minutes for a 1.06 goals against average (GAA). She had four shutouts.

DiDonato recorded 59 saves on the season. She notched seven saves two times. DiDonato made seven stops in a 1-0 non-conference win at Francis Marion University on Sept. 17.

The level of goalkeeping in the South Atlantic Conference is outstanding, making DiDonato's achievement even more noteworthy. Four netminders had GAAs below 1.00. DiDonato beat out Carson-Newman sophomore Bernadette Haines (an All-SAC performer) for a spot on the All-Southeast Region team.