Wilford, MCC Player of the Year - Stork and Corkery First Team

by Amanda Trossen

St. Ambrose Junior, Amanda Wilford, was recently named Midwest Classic Conference (MCC) Player of the Year. In addition to receiving this honor, Wilford was also named to the MCC first team, along with teammates Martha Stork and Lisa Corkery.  Bridget Krajewski and Krysta Schmitt were named to the Second Team. Kari Petersmith, Denise Absil and Erica Inendino received Honorable Mention All-Conference honors..

Wilford first started playing soccer when she was just four years old, and she has been playing ever since. She acquired the passion from her dad who coached her in her younger years. As a fifth grader, Wilford began playing more competitively when some of the girls from her team invited her to play for the Quad City Strikers, and has continued to do so ever since.

Wilford’s favorite part about playing on a competitive team is that it takes everyone to be successful. So, while this honor is for her it has come as a result of the support from her team too. She was able to play at the level she did because of the communication and connection that she had with her teammates out on the field.

This connection was apparent during the first game that SAU played against Grandview.

“The game against Grandview sealed the deal for me, in a sense. It was the biggest and best game of the season, and we beat them for the first time since I have been here,” said Wilford.

After a scoreless first half, Wilford showed just why she deserved this title. Only three minutes into the second half she scored the first goal and a second one just a minute and a half later.

“The Grandview game was definitely my favorite memory from this season,” said Wilford. “After I scored the second goal, the whole team ran down the field and jumped on me in celebration.”

Wilford lead the conference in shots on goal (72), goals (14), game winning goals (4), and was fourth in assists (5). She was the MCC and Region VII Player of the week for the week of October 2, 2006. All of these things led to her being named to the MCC first team and MCC Player of the Year.

Making the conference team was one of Wilford’s goals going into this season. Coming off an ACL tear, that was a pretty lofty goal, but she accomplished it along with her other goals of staying healthy and remaining starting forward.

Even with these goals Wilford was surprised to receive this honor. Wilford ended out her season on a high note with this honor, yet she takes it humbly and will use it to motivate her next year.

“Being named MCC Player of the Year means so much to me, I never would have expected it, and I am really excited,” says Wilford. “I really hope that I can live up to it next year.”

Next year Wilford hopes to repeat these goals. She is also adding a few more including a repeat as MCC Player of the Year, winning conference as a team, and taking her game up yet another notch by scoring more goals.