ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Six College of Saint Benedict soccer players were honored for their hard work this season when MIAC postseason honors were announced Thursday. Leading the pack is first year Megan Thompson, who was voted MIAC Rookie of the Year; Jane Koch and Meghan Verkinderen earned All-MIAC First Team honors; Jenna Kleason and Kendall Koenen drew All-MIAC Honorable Mention accolades and Haley Neumann earned a spot on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Thompson earned Rookie of the Year honors after leading her team with seven goals. She added dished out four assists and racked up 18 points in her first season with CSB.

The Inver Grove Heights native made a name for herself early, scoring four goals in her collegiate debut, a 5-1 win over Nebraska Wesleyan. Thompson proved herself to be a steady presence in clutch situations, scoring three game-winning goals, including two goals that broke scoreless ties to give CSB 1-0 wins.

Thompson's performance in her first season held up against her fellow MIAC competitors as well. The forward finishes the season in a sixth-place tie in goals, tied for third in game-winning goals, and eighth in total points.

Koch earned first-team honors following a strong junior season. She registered four goals and seven assists and finished second on the team in total points. She scored two game winners off her 32 shots on goal. Koch enjoyed her best game of the season on Oct. 6 when she led CSB past Saint Mary's by scoring a goal and two assists.

Verkinderen was a staple on CSB's back line, especially late in the season when she stepped up to fill in for injured teammates. Verkinderen registered 733 minutes of play in the season, and started in seven of the last eight games of the season. With her help, Saint Benedict's defense hold opponents to just nine goals in games she played in.

Kleason, a senior, finished her final season with CSB with three goals, one assist, and seven total points. She led position players in minutes played on the season, racking up 1,132 minutes on the field, just behind goaltender Koenen. Kleason is also the only player to start and play in all 16 games for CSB, besides Koenen in goal.

Koenen, a sophomore, was CSB's lock between the pipes this season, ending her second season with an impressive 9-3-4 overall record. Of her nine wins, six games were shutouts. Koenen only allowed opponents to score more than one goal three times, in a 3-0 loss to St. Thomas, a 2-2 tie with Augsburg, and a 2-1 loss to Carleton. Koenen closed out the season with 70 saves, and an impressive .824 save percentage.

Neumann earned a spot on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team in her first season with the team. The 2017 season marked the first as a part of CSB's roster after missing her first year due to injury, but this season was also cut short with an injury. Neumann had one assist and two shots on goal in 10 games played, and played a key role in CSB's defense in those 10 games.

Saint Benedict finished the 2017 season 9-3-4 overall and 5-3-3 and tied for fourth in the MIAC. CSB earned a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2014 where it tied St. Kate's 1-1 in double overtime, but lost in a shootout.