(note that a Top Freshmen page is being added to the CS360 "Top Players" section)
There are six freshmen in all of Division I women's soccer who have totaled 30-plus points this season – and four of them still are playing, as members of teams that qualified for the 2009 NCAAs. Foremost among that group is BYU rookie Carlee Payne (Pleasanton, Calif.) – who is sure to have plenty of family and friends on hand tonight when the Cougars take on UCSB, at Stanford (4:30 PT). ... don't forget you can follow CS360 Twitter feed and blog updates, most of them coming from our on-site correspondent.
BYU freshman forward Carlee Payne (left)
Payne's 35 points this season (13G-9A) are tied for the second-most among the nation's freshme, while only three players – including Victoria DiMartino of Boston College (another NCAA entrant) – have totaled more goals than Payne's 13. More importantly, Payne regularly has provided goals and assists during clutch moments this season (5 gamewinning goals) and was a member of the CS360 Primetime Performers of the Week list in back-to-back weeks earlier this season (Sept. 1-8).
(note: research courtesy of CollegeSoccer360.com)
NATIONAL FRESHMAN POINT LEADERS (bold = in 2009 NCAAs)
Pts – G-A ....... Player (team ... games played)
49 – 21G-7A ... Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska ... 20 GP)
35 – 14G-7A ... Devin Petta (Northeastern ... 18 GP)
35 – 13G-9A ... Carlee Payne (BYU ... 23 GP)
32 – 14G-4A ... Victoria DiMartino (Boston College ... 20 GP)
31 – 12G-7A ... Kaitlin Bast (Denver ... 23 GP)
30 – 13G-4A ... Maiya Cooper (Southeastern Louisiana ... 18 GP)
28 – 11G-6A ... Becca Smith (Chattanooga ... 16 GP)
28 – 9G-10A ... Kirby Zak (Sam Houston State ... 21 GP)
27 – 13G-1A ... Dawn Ward (Texas Tech ... 20 GP)
26 – 9G-8A ..... Tiana Kallenberger (George Mason ... 20 GP)
25 – 8G-9A ..... Skye Schultz (UTEP ... 20 GP)
24 – 11G-2A ... Lisa Underwood (IPFW ... 17 GP)
24 – 9G-6A ..... Nichole Schiro (Loyola, MD .. 22 GP)
23 – 7G-9A ..... Christine Nairn (Penn State ... 19 GP)
23 – 7G-9A ..... Colleen Williams (Dayton ... 21 GP)
22 – 9G-4A ..... Ashlee Cootu (Old Dominion ... 20 GP)
22 – 8G-6A ..... Caitlin Dingle (Kennesaw State ...16 GP)
22 – 9G-4A ..... Caitlin Cahalan (Siena ... 17 GP)
21 – 10G-1A ... Maddy Elder (Clemson ... 18 GP)
21 – 6G-9A ..... Whitney Berry (Kansas ... 22 GP)
21 – 6G-9A ..... Kylie Louw (Stephen F. Austin ... 20 GP)
20 – 9G-2A ..... Kara Blosser (North Carolina State ... 18 GP)
20 – 8G-4A ..... Linda Ruutu (Connecticut ... 19 GP)
21 – 8G-4A ..... Chelsea Small (Idaho) ... 19 GP)
20 – 8G-4A ..... Shadein Mars (Jackson State ... 15 GP)
20 – 8G-4A ..... Karly Dagys (Southeastern Louisiana ... 16 GP)
20 ... 7G-6A ... Brittany Neumann (Creighton ... 21 GP)
NATIONAL FRESHMAN GOAL LEADERS (bold = in 2009 NCAAs)
21 – Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska ... 20 GP)
14 – Devin Petta (Northeastern ... 18 GP)
14 – Victoria DiMartino (Boston College ... 20 GP)
13 – Maiya Cooper (Southeastern Louisiana ... 18 GP)
13 – Dawn Ward (Texas Tech ... 20 GP)
13 – Carlee Payne (BYU ... 23 GP)
12 – Kaitlin Bast (Denver ...23 GP)
11 – Becca Smith (Chattanooga ...16 GP)
11 – Lisa Underwood (IPFW ... 17 GP)
10 – Maddy Elder (Clemson ...18 GP)
9 – Nicole Schiro (Loyola, MD ... 22 GP)
9 – Caitlin Cahalan (Siena ...17 GP)
9 – Kara Blosser (North Carolina State ...18 GP)
9 – Tina Romagnuolo (Syracuse ...18 GP)
9 – Meghan Fuller (Hawaii Pacific ... 16 GP)
9 – Kirby Zak (Sam Houston State ... 21 GP)
9 – Michelle Young (North Texas ... 20 GP)
9 – Brittney Lyman (Colorado College ... 20 GP)
9 – Tiana Hallenberger (George Mason ... 20 GP)
9 – Ashlee Coutu (Old Dominion ... 20 GP)
9 – Dani Benton (South Carolina State ... 20 GP)
9 – Erica Parks (Boise State ... 23 GP)
8 – Shadein Mars (Jackson State ...15 GP)
8 – Karly Dagys (Southeastern Louisiana ...16 GP)
8 – Caitlin Dingle (Kennesaw State ... 16 GP)
8 – Linda Ruutu (Connecticut ... 19 GP)
8 – Tabitha Padgett (UNC Greensboro ... 20 GP)
8 – Andrea Meloff (Tennessee Tech ... 22 GP)
8 – Kelly Conheeney (Virginia Tech ... 21 GP)
8 – Yosselyn Aguilar (Prairie View ... 18 GP)
8 – Skye Schultz (UTEP ... 20 GP)
8 – Chelsea Small (Idaho ... 19 GP)
8 – Kelsie Sherfield (Grambling .. 19 GP)