Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — Feb. 2017
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa soccer team announced its award winners for the 2016 season Friday night at the end-of-year banquet in the Paul W. Brechler Press Box at Kinnick Stadium.
Junior Karly Stuenkel was named co-Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, sophomore Jenna Kentgen was Co-MVP, sophomore Morgan Kemerling was Defensive Player of the Year, freshman Natalie Winters was Newcomer of the Year, and senior Amanda Lulek was recipient of the Hawk Award.
Stuenkel earned her first team MVP honor and second straight Offensive Player of Year nod. She was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6 and finished second on the team with five goals and paced the squad with four assists as a midfielder. The St. Charles, Illinois, native started all 19 games.
Kentgen shared the team MVP honors after competing in all 19 games and making 15 starts. The midfielder logged 1,139 minutes, where she scored one goal and had one assist.
Kemerling took home Defensive Player of the Year honors making 17 starts and playing 90 or more minutes in 12 contests. The Aurora, Illinois, native was a key member of an Iowa defense that posted four shutouts, and she was also an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Winters was selected as Iowa’s Newcomer of the Year after scoring two goals and tallying three assists in her first collegiate season. The Plymouth, Michigan, native scored her first career goal in the Hawkeyes’ 3-2 win over Wyoming. Winters started all 19 games and earned Big Ten All-Freshman team honors — Iowa’s first selection since the 2013 season.
Lulek received the Hawk Award, an honor presented to an individual that is strong in the classroom, community, and on the soccer field. It honors a player that displays hard work, dedication, and selflessness, and has a desire to improve on a daily basis.
The Geneva, Illinois, native saw action in all 19 games, making 13 starts, and had two points on two assists. Lulek also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
The Hawkeyes won eight games in 2016 and excelled academically. The team had the athletic department’s highest team grade point average in the fall and the program tied a school record with 16 Academic All-Big Ten selections.
