November 11, 2004

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced today that Loras College senior forward Michelle Wieser (Dubuque, Iowa/Senior) and Luther College senior forward Katie Pettigrew (Farminton, N.M./Farminton) were named 2004 IIAC women’s soccer co-Most Valuable Players and that Loras head coach Dan Rothert was named 2004 IIAC women’s soccer Coach of the Year.

Wieser led Loras to its fourth straight Conference Tournament title and one year after becoming the first IIAC soccer All-American (male or female), becomes the first Duhawk to receive Conference MVP honors. With the NCAA Tournament still to play, she has 22 goals and 12 assists for 56 points in 21 matches. She led the Conference with seven game-winning goals, tied Pettigrew for the Conference lead in assists, ranked second in points scored and tied for second in goals scored. Wieser scored at least one goal in 15 of 21 matches and recorded at least one point in 17 contests.

In eight Conference matches, Wieser scored eight goals and seven assists for 23 points, leading the Conference in assists, tying for second in points and tying for third in goals.

Pettigrew becomes the third two-time Conference Most Valuable Player, the second to receive the honor in consecutive seasons. She scored 26 goals and 12 assists for 64 points in 19 matches during the year, becoming the NCAA Division III all-time career leader in goals scored (124) and points scored (297). She led the Conference in goals and points, and tied Wieser for the lead in assists. Pettigrew also tied for second in the Conference with five game-winning goals. She scored at least one goal in 16 of 19 matches and was only held without a point twice (shutout losses to Elmhurst and Wisconsin-Eau Claire).

In eight Conference matches, Pettigrew scored 15 goals and five assists for 35 points, leading the IIAC in goals, points and game winning goals (3), and ranking second in assists as Luther won its third Conference title, first since 1998.

Rothert, in his seventh year as head coach at Loras, earns Conference Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive season and fourth time since 1998. The Duhawks enter the NCAA Tournament with an 18-1-2 overall record. Rothert led Loras to its fourth straight Conference Tournament title and a second-place regular season finish (7-1-0).

The IIAC also announced today the 2004 women’s soccer All-Conference Team. The 26-member Team includes 15 repeat All-Conference honorees, two of whom become three-time All-Conference selections and four whom become four-time selections. Loras has six players on the All-Conference Team, Luther, Simpson and Wartburg each have four All-Conference performers.

The complete 2004 IIAC All-Conference Women's Soccer Team is here.

-30-