Cowgirl Soccer All-Time Team: Defender

The Oklahoma State Cowgirl soccer program will mark its 20^th season in 2015. As we celebrate two decades of milestones, OSU head coach Colin Carmichael and assistant coach Karen Hancock, both of whom have been with the program since its inception and built it into a national power, collaborated on a list of the top players in Cowgirl soccer history. We'll reveal the top 11 daily on www.okstate.com over the next two weeks, and today we highlight the second of four Cowgirl defenders.

Melinda Mercado – Sapulpa, Okla. (2008-11)
Mercado is one of the most decorated players in OSU history and helped lead the program to unprecedented heights during her career. Anchoring some of the top defenses in the NCAA during her four seasons, "Minnie" was a two-time All-American, including a first-teamer as a senior, and three-time All-Big 12 First Team performer. She was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011 and was the Big 12 Championship Defensive MVP in 2009 and 2010.

Mercado started and played in 98 games in her career, both OSU records, and was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams and four Big 12 championship squads. In both her junior and senior seasons, the Cowgirls reached the NCAA tourney Elite Eight, and she capped her career by leading OSU to the best season in school history in 2011 as they went 22-2-2 and were ranked as high as No. 2 nationally. That '11 squad led the NCAA in shutouts (18) and goals against average (.0337).

Mercado recorded six goals, including one game winner, and a pair of assists during her career. In January 2012, she was drafted in the third round (16^th overall pick) of the WPS Draft by the Boston Breakers.

Colin Carmichael on Melinda Mercado: "Melinda Mercado was a terrific athlete who could do it all — she could run with the fastest forwards, could bang with the big, strong players and could also link up into the attack when needed and was a big threat on set plays. A two-time All-American and being drafted into the professional soccer league shows how she was regarded by soccer people around the country."

Here's one of Mercado's six career goals in an OSU uniform.

All-Time Cowgirl Soccer Team
GK – AD Franch
D – Lauren Colwell
D – Melinda Mercado

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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