Oklahoma State University Athletics
Four Cowgirls Named All-Central Region
December 08, 2009 | Cowgirl Soccer
Dec. 8, 2009
2009 NSCAA All-Central Region Teams in PDF Format 
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Oklahoma State had four players named 2009 All-Central Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Highlighting the list of OSU's NSCAA honorees is freshman goalkeeper AD Franch, who earned first-team honors. A pair of Cowgirls, junior Annika Niemeier and sophomore Melinda Mercado, were named to the second team, while senior Kasey Langdon garnered third-team accolades.
Franch had a record-setting season in goal for the Cowgirls. The Salina, Kan. native set school records with 11 shutouts and a 0.61 goals against average, totals which also led the Big 12 Conference. She also led the league in save percentage at .843.
In nearly 2,100 minutes in goal in 23 games, Franch allowed only 14 goals and racked up 75 saves. She earned All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team honors, was named to the Big 12 Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team and was also on the TopDrawerSoccer.com All-Rookie First Team.
A native of Germany, Niemeier led OSU with 11 goals in 2009, including a Big 12-best seven game winners, to go along with four assists. During the Cowgirls' eight-game winning streak late in the season, Niemeier recorded seven goals and three assists.
Niemeier was an All-Big 12 First Team selection and secured a spot on the Big 12 Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team after helping lead OSU to the tourney title.
Mercado was a standout on a defense that set a school record with 14 shutouts and a 0.65 goals against average and tied a school mark by allowing just 16 goals. OSU led the Big 12 in all three categories.
A product of Sapulpa, Okla., Mercado had a goal and two assists on the season. She was an All-Big 12 First Team pick and earned Defensive MVP honors at the Big 12 Soccer Championship.
Rounding out the list of OSU's All-Central Region performers was Langdon, a forward from Wylie, Texas.
Langdon, who was a NSCAA All-Central Region first-team performer in 2008, continued to climb up the OSU record books in 2009. She tallied six goals and four assists during her senior season and finished her career second on OSU's career assists list (27) and fifth in career goals (25) and points (77).
Langdon was an All-Big 12 Second Team honoree and also earned a spot on the Big 12 Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team.
