WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNC Wilmington senior defender Kelly Renkin has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Southeast Region team, organization officials announced Wednesday.

A second-team selection on this year’s squad, Renkin earns the distinction for the second time in her career after being a third-team honoree in 2007.

“The Southeast is an extremely competitive region for women’s soccer,” UNCW head coach Paul Cairney said. “It is a credit to our team that one of our players received this recognition. Kelly had a fantastic season and our whole team shares in this award.”

Renkin helped the Seahawks enjoy one of the finest seasons in program history as the squad equaled the program mark for conference victories with eight and finished with 12 victories, just one win shy of matching the team’s highest single-season win total.

The first player in school history to earn First-Team All-CAA honors three times in her career, Renkin paced the Seahawks in scoring with 15 points on a team-high six goals and three assists. Making the move from the midfield to the backline for the 2008 season, Renkin was one of five players to start all 20 games for the Seahawks and helped anchor a defensive unit that established a new program best for shutouts in a season with nine.

The program’s career leader in game-winning goals (13), Renkin also finished her career among the school’s career leaders in goals (29), assists (15) and points (73)

Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches’ organization in the United States. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than 23,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses, teaching more than 4,000 soccer coaches each year.

2008 NSCAA/adidas

NCAA Division I Women

All-Southeast Region

First Team                                

Pos.     Name                            Year     School                          Hometown

K          Aline Reis                     Fr.        Central Florida               Campinas, Brazil

D          Rebecca Edwards         Jr.        Florida State                 Downingtown, Pa.

D          Sarah Wagenfuhr           Sr.        Florida State                 Colorado Springs, Colo.

D          Whitney Engen              Jr.        North Carolina               Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

M         Amanda DaCosta          So.       Florida State                 Katonah, N.Y.

M         Tobin Heath                  Jr.        North Carolina               Basking Ridge, N.J.

M         Yael Averbuch               Sr.        North Carolina               Upper Montclair, N.J.

M         Hailey Beam                  Jr.        Charlotte                       Charlotte, N.C.

F          Casey Nogueira             Jr.        North Carolina               Raleigh, N.C.

F          Sanna Talonen              So.       Florida State                 Tampere, Finland

F          Ameera Abdullah           Sr.        Florida                          Denver, Colo.

Second Team                           

Pos.     Name                            Year     School                          Hometown

K          Amber Campbell           Sr.        East Carolina               Frederick, N.C.

D          Nikki Moore                   Jr.        Central Florida               Clarksburg, Md.

D          Kelly Renkin                  Sr.        UNC Wilmington            Midlothian, Va.

D          Madison Keller              Sr.        East Carolina               Corona, Conn.

D          Ashlee Elliott                 Jr.        Florida                          Virginia Beach, Va.

M         Katy Frierson                Fr.        Auburn                          Homewood, Ala.

M         Becca Thomas              Jr.        Central Florida               Burlington, Wash.

M         Amy Smerdzinski           Sr.        Wake Forest                  South Riding, Va.

F          Tiffany McCarty             Fr.        Florida State                 Laurel, Md.

F          Whitney Weintraub         So.       Charlotte                       Newton, Pa.

F          Elisabeth Redmond       Jr.        Duke                             Morristown, N.J.

Third Team                               

Pos.     Name                            Year     School                          Hometown

K          Allison Whitworth           Sr.        Auburn                          Birmingham, Ala.

D          Blakely Mattern              Jr.        South Carolina              Simpsonville, S.C.

D          Megan Tomlinson          Sr.        Georgia                        Atlanta, Ga.

D          Lauren Hyde                  Jr.        Florida                          Carmel, Ind.

D          Jessica Rix                   So.       Belmont                        Carmel, Ind.

M         Ali Hawkins                   So.       North Carolina               Encinitas, Calif.

M         Lorraine Quinn               Sr.        Duke                             Farmingdale, N.Y.

M         Molly Kinsella                So.       Vanderbilt                     Bartlett, Tenn.

F          Megan Kerns                 Sr.        Florida                          Ames, Iowa

F          Danielle Dos Santos      Sr.        Central Florida               Harrogate, Tenn.

F          Kayann Gummersall       Jr.        Duke                             Wilmette, Ill.

-Courtesy UNCW