FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, November 18, 2005

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Willette, Baird Named Association of Division III Independents
Student-Athlete of the Month Award Winners for October

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Megan Willette, a midfielder from Saint Joseph’s College (Maine), and Bryan Baird, a forward from the University of California, Santa Cruz, were named today as the recipients of the Association of Division III Independents Student-Athlete of the Month awards for October. 

Willette, a freshman from Waterville, ME, scored 11 goals and added six assists during October as the Monks went 5-3.  Overall, Willette ranks fifth in the nation, averaging 3.31 points per game, and she recently set a new single-season school record with 53 points. Willette leads a strong Saint Joseph’s scoring attack, which ranks 10^th in the country at four goals per game.

Baird, a senior history major from San Anselmo, CA, scored 10 goals and added one assist for the Banana Slugs during October as the team finished 7-1.  For the month, Baird totaled 21 points, had a .750 shot-on-goal percentage (.646 for the season) and a .500 shot percentage (.396 for the season).  Baird scored in seven of the Slugs' eight games, which included a hat trick against Chapman University and two goals against Ripon.  Baird was held scoreless in only UC Santa Cruz's 1-0 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University, which broke a scoring string of 10 consecutive games.  Of Baird’s 10 goals, four were game-winners, including the only goal in a double-overtime victory over California State University, East Bay. 

For the season, Baird has 19 goals and four assists, totaling 42 points and six game- winning goals.  He is ranked 11^th nationally  in points per game with 2.42, and seventh in goals per game with 1.12.  UC Santa Cruz is 17-1-1 and ranked No. 10 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association. 

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 19 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2005-06.  The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.  For the second year, the Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports.  In addition, it also will announce all-Independent teams at the conclusion of nine sports this year. 

All student-athletes from the Association’s 19 members were eligible for the award.  Each school was allowed to nominate its top performing male and female student-athletes from October.  The award recipients were selected after a vote of the Association’s Student-Athlete Recognition Committee.

More information about the Association of Division III Independents is available at http://www.d3independents.org.

 

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