November 28, 2018

Trio of Eagles add to C-N's historic list of All-Americans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the first time in program history, Carson-Newman Women’s Soccer has three All-Americans in a single season following its release from the United Soccer Coaches on Wednesday afternoon.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the first time in program history, Carson-Newman Women's Soccer has three All-Americans in a single season following its release from the United Soccer Coaches on Wednesday afternoon.

Averi Williams, Magda Mosengo, and Jackie Burns all earned one of the most historic honors in Division II Women's Soccer after appearing on the USC First-team All-Southeast Region squad which officially put them in the hat for the award.

"Five All-Americans in two years is outrageous," Coach Simon Duffy said. "Elated for the players to be recognized. It's a standard we want to set here and it says a lot about what we have been able to accomplish. It's even a shock that all three of them weren't selected last year so I couldn't be more happy for the seniors as they've set a prime example for the program."

C-N has now had at least one All-America selection in four-straight seasons as the trio become the 15th, 16th, and 17th players to crack the first, second, or third team.

Columbus State, Limestone, and C-N were the only three Southeast Region units to be represented on any of the three teams with the Cougars posting two on the second-team and the Saints credited with one on the third squad.

Williams earned the accolade becoming just the third Eagle to crack the first-team joining Lauren Wade (2017) and Claire Ramsdale (2005). She's also just the second player to become an All-American as a defender with Helen Seed becoming the first a year ago.

The native of Powell, Tenn. was also named D2CCA All-Region to go along with first-team All-league honors and the SAC's Defensive Player of the Year. There is also a possibility that Williams can earn D2CCA All-America which is expected to be announced within the next week.

"It took a lot of hard work and determination," Williams said. "I'm really excited that I took it that serious coming into this year. I'm just honored and I can't believe I got it. The recognition is awesome. Continuing to work hard for my team plays a big part."

The senior center back was an integral part of C-N's fourth-straight South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship as she started in all 20 games for the Eagles recording two goals and an assist. She turned in over 7100 minutes played in her time at Mossy Creek, including every game over the past two seasons missing just a total of two games over her four-year career. The minutes played total currently sit as the leader in program history dating back to 2002.

Williams ends her career third all-time in games started with 80 which is three shy of the team record and also ties for fourth in games played with 85, two shy of a program high.

Mosengo goes from not earning a single postseason accolade in 2017 to third-team All-America, outside of her appearance on the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships All-Tournament Team.

The senior forward Mosengo posted one of the better seasons in both the history of the program and all of Divison II as she maintained a spot inside the nation's top-10 in goals and points throughout the year. The London, England product collected 20 goals and seven assists for a total of 47 points which ties for eighth since the team's inception in 1991. She was also named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year with a First-team All-SAC nod.

"I'm just thrilled to be an All-American," Mosengo said. "It's a great accomplishment. I didn't think it would happen because we've had a lot of good players and come across a lot of good players throughout the years. I can't put into words how thrilled, ecstatic, and grateful I am. Coach Duffy has really believed in me and that's always nice to have in a coach when you have someone on your side. He's allowed me to be creative and he always tells me when I needed to step up my game and I appreciated that."

Mosengo is the program's all-time leading scorer in NCAA postseason play with 10 goals and three assists. Failing to record a point in the first two games of the season, she recorded at least one point in every game she played since, a total of 17 games. She ended the year 8th in the nation in points and 8th in goals, six of which were game winners. In her career as an Eagle, Mosengo is tied second in the program with 13 game winners, second in total goals (40), and third in total points (101).

Goalkeeper Jackie Burns joins Mosengo on the third-team following an 11-1 season with 5.1 shutouts. She currently sits second all-time in the SAC in career shutouts with 30.4.

"Jackie will tell you she didn't have the best of seasons for her standard," Goalkeeper Coach Matt Carr said. "As her coach, I thought she had a handful of performances that were very professional. Particularly the last two games that she featured in the NCAA National Tournament. In the offseason, we will look at how to maintain a professional level of focus and consistency in all aspects of the position. These levels are required each and every day in training and matches. Jackie will learn from this past year and push herself to be the best version of herself for her senior season. Big things are to come for her."

The junior out of Cookstown, Northern Ireland posted a goals against average of 0.86, which was the best in the league. She currently leads the program in four single-season statistical categories and seven different career tiers with a year still remaining.

"Getting it as a junior is an amazing feeling," Burns said. "There's not many things better than getting this award. It's been a hard season trying to better ourselves as a team coming off last year but I took it as motivation to improve myself and be able to try and get to where we were last season. The conference has been as competitive as it has ever been so it has kept be on my toes the entire year.

"We made some targets prior to the season and this is what I strived for. I crossed it off after the last game of the season because I felt I had not been able to achieve it with my season but it is more than unbelievable and I'm proud I reached my goal."

-CN-