OKLAHOMA CITY -- Seniors Kassie Byrd and Julia Nimal have earned first-team National Christian Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Central Region selections, the organization announced yesterday (Dec. 19).  Juniors Michelle Medina and Chelsea Swisher were second-team honorees, while seniors Melissa Dobie, Karen Moreno and freshman Rachel Lynn earned honorable-mention recognition. 

Byrd and Nimal have re-wrote the MACU Women's Soccer record book since joining the NAIA.  The duo is the top two scorers in school history, with Nimal recording 132 points and followed closely by Byrd's 130 points.  Byrd is the career goal leader with 58 scores and Nimal's 50 goals rank second.  Nimal is also the Lady Evangels' all-time assist leader with 30 career helpers.  This season it was more of the same, with Byrd scoring a team-high 12 goals and Nimal dishing out a team-best seven assists and tying for second with eight goals. 

Swisher followed up her impressive freshman season with a solid sophomore campaign, tying for second on the team with eight goals along with four assists.  Medina gave the Lady Evangels a solid midfield presence with three assists and also scored one goal. 

Dobie has been a mainstay in the net for the Lady Evangels the past three seasons, ranking as the school's career leader in shutouts (24), saves (360) and goals-against-average (1.23).  Moreno has given the Lady Evangels a defensive anchor during her four-year career and Lynn had a solid defensive presence this year as a freshman in 19 starts. 

The Lady Evangels advanced to the NCCAA Central Regional semifinals before falling 5-1 to eventual regional champ Southern Nazarene University.