OMAHA, Neb. – Rachel Tejada is the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Year for the second-consecutive season, as voted on by the league’s coaches.  Tejada and six other ISU all-conference selections were honored at Thursday night’s awards banquet in Omaha, Neb.

“It is a great honor,” Tejada said.  “I have to give credit to my teammates and coaches for getting me here.”

The sophomore forward from Troy, Ill., is just the second player in conference history to earn the award in consecutive seasons, as Evansville’s Krissy Meek won it in 1996 and 1997.  Tejada is one of four Redbirds to earn the award all-time, with this year’s crowning being the sixth in program-history.

Tejada enters the MVC Tournament with 15 goals and eight assists, to total 38 points.  Tejada’s 15 tallies rank her ninth nationally entering the week, while she is also top-10 in goals per game (eighth with 0.882), points (eighth with 38) and points per game (seventh with 2.24). Tejada also leads the MVC in all of those stats.

“After the type of freshman year Rachel had, she set the bar for herself incredibly high,” head coach Drew Roff said.  “As a sophomore, we have asked her to do more for our team, and she draws even more attention than she did last year.  Yet, she still has produced at a tremendous rate, while improving as a player.  Her defending has improved, and she has taken on a leadership role within our team.  Over the past two seasons, she has proven that she is one of the elite attacking players in the nation.”

Throughout the course of the season, Tejada has moved into second place on the program’s all-time lists in career goals (36), points (89) and assists (17).

Tejada was also named to the All-Valley First Team, along with senior Kristin Cooley and junior Anna Stinson. 

Cooley has started all 17 games at center back and 71-straight over the past four seasons.  She became the program’s all-time leader in minutes at Drake (Oct. 25) with 6,322.  Cooley has tallied two assists this season, giving her 10 for her career, to go along with two goals.  She was a second team all-conference selection last season, and an all-freshman choice in 2009.

After missing the first four games of the season due to illness, Stinson has started all 13 since.  A first team All-Valley choice one year ago and honorable mention selection as a freshman in 2010, Stinson has scored two goals this season, while tallying one assist.  Her 12-career helpers rank her fourth on the program’s all-time list.

The Redbirds’ lone representative on the All-Valley second team is senior Rachel Bostick.  The Naperville, Ill., native has started all 67 games of her career, including 57 consecutive.  She has two goals and three assists this season.  Bostick was named second team all-conference as a freshman in 2009 and was an honorable mention selection last season.

Kyla Cross, last season’s MVC Tournament MVP, was named All-Conference Honorable Mention.  The junior from Clinton Township, Mich., ranks second in the conference and on the team with seven goals and 17 points.  She became the first player in program-history to score four goals in one match during the Redbirds’ 9-2 win over Indiana State (Oct. 14).  Cross was a second team all-conference choice last year.

Lauren Koehl and Alyse Williams were named to the MVC All-Freshman Team for their performances.  Koehl, a St. Charles, Ill., native, has played in all 17 games, starting 12 of them.  She scored her only goal of the season at Missouri State (Oct. 21).  Williams, a redshirt-freshman center back, has made 16 appearances and made nine starts, including four of the past five matches.

“It’s always great to see our players recognized for their hard work and performance,” Roff said.  “While team accomplishments are always our main focus, you need individual players to step up and play at a high level.  Any recognition they get is well-deserved.”

The second-seeded Redbirds begin MVC Tournament play Friday night against No. 6-seed and tournament host Creighton.  Kick-off is set for 6 p.m.

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