Three members of the Wisconsin women’s soccer team and the program itself have drawn praise for their work in the 2003 season. Soccer Buzz magazine handed out its postseason awards, and three Badgers made the cut: Jenny Kundert, Katy Lindenmuth and Kara Karabellis.

All-Big Ten second team selections Kundert and Lindenmuth were tabbed for the Soccer Buzz All-Great Lakes Region Third Team. Kundert, a senior forward and Madison native, was the Badgers’ top offensive threat in 2003. She led the squad with seven goals and came up big in the clutch, tallying five game-winning goals in her final season at Wisconsin. Her 24 career assists place her second on the school’s all-time list.

Sophomore midfielder Lindenmuth emerged as a viable compliment to Kundert this season. Her six goals were second to the senior captain, and the Geneva, Ill. native finished the year as the team leader in both points, with 19, and assists, with seven.

Karabellis, a rookie from Homer Glen, Ill., made an instant impact in her first season in Madison. Karabellis started all 21 matches for Dean Duerst’s Badgers and notched 14 points on six goals and two assists. Her efforts warranted her a spot as one of four midfielders on Soccer Buzz’s Great Lakes Region All-Freshman Team.

While Kundert, Lindenmuth and Karabellis garnered individual honors, the UW women’s soccer program as a whole also earned a postseason accolade. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) recognized the Wisconsin program with a Team Academic Award. The award is given to all men’s and women’s college soccer teams that finish the 2002-03 academic year with a combined grade point average of 3.0 or better. Wisconsin went above and beyond the minimum mark, as the Badger team recorded a combined 3.40 grade point average. That number was the highest of any team in the Big Ten conference.

 

Pendleton honored by Big Ten

Wisconsin senior swimmer Bethany Pendleton has been named Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Week following her performance at a conference quadrangular meet this weekend.

The award was the second of the season for the Hood River, Ore. native. The league also honored Pendleton on Nov. 12. In addition to being Pendleton’s second time, it is the seventh time in 13 weeks that the conference has named a Wisconsin athlete Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Week.

Pendleton led Wisconsin to victories against all three conference competitors at this past weekend’s meet. The Badgers topped No. 24 Minnesota (226-126), Purdue (238-114) and Illinois (253-98). She took first in three individual events, and then contributed to first-place finishes on two relay races.

In the process, Pendleton set a pair of pool records. She won the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 2:02.66 and the 400-yard individual medley in 4:17.91. Her standout performance continued in the 200-yard freestyle, which she won in a time of 1:49.28.

In the relays, Pendleton helped Wisconsin to wins in the 800-yard freestyle, where the Badgers set a pool record of 7:26.78, and the 400-yard free relay. UW took first in the 400 free in a time of 3:27.36.

Pendleton has the team’s best finish in the 200 and 400-yard individual medley this season. She has recorded the times needed to be an automatic qualifier for the 2004 NCAA Championships in the 200 and 400-yard individual medleys.

The Badger women’s swim team is currently ranked No. 10 in the CSAA dual meet polls. Wisconsin boasts a 9-1 record and a perfect 6-0 mark in conference meets. Their dual meet season concludes this Friday when UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee visit the Natatorium.

 

 

-compiled from staff reports