NORMAL, Ill. – Eight student-athletes from the Drake University women's soccer team collected Missouri Valley Conference honors Thursday night at the 2016 MVC women's soccer awards banquet in Normal, Ill.
 
Seniors Kayla Armstrong (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Sarah Grace Nicholson (Overland Park, Kan.) were named to the All-MVC First Team while sophomore Alyssa Brand (Skokie, Ill.) was picked to the All-MVC Second Team. Senior Brooke Dennis (Wauconda, Ill.) and juniors Brooke Salisbury (Kearney, Mo.) and Ali Smith (Lenexa, Kan.) garnered All-MVC Honorable Mention accolades.
 
For the fourth straight season, Drake had two tabbed to the MVC All-Freshman team as Cassie Rohan (Palatine, Ill.) and Annie Schmitz (St. Louis, Mo.) each earned the honor.
 
Armstrong, a midfielder, led Drake and ranked second in the conference in goals scored with 10 and added two assists to finish with a team-leading 22 points. This is her second career All-MVC award after earning honorable mention accolades in 2015. Armstrong finished her career seventh all-time in career goals with 18, tied for eighth in career assists with 10 and sixth all-time in career points with 46.
 
Nicholson was named to the All-MVC First Team for the second-consecutive season. She played in 17 matches at the defender position and helped the Bulldogs' back line record a program-record 11 shutouts. Nicholson was a two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Week award winner.
 
Brand, a midfielder, was second on the team in goals scored with six and finished tied for second in assists with three. She was named MVC Player of the Week on Sept. 6. Brand garnered All-MVC honorable mention accolades and was named to the MVC All-Freshman team in her first season.
 
Dennis finished with a 9-1-2 overall record in goal for the Bulldogs. She allowed just six goals and posted six shutouts with 33 saves. Dennis was a two-time MVC Goalkeeper of the Week award winner this year.
 
Salisbury, a midfielder, started 18-of-19 matches for the Bulldogs. She helped the Bulldogs' back line post a program-record 11 shutouts. This is the first All-MVC accolade for Salisbury, who earned her first career MVC Defensive Player of the Week award on Sept. 30.
 
Smith started 18-of-19 matches at the defender position for the Bulldogs. She helped the Bulldogs' back line post a program-record 11 shutouts. This is the first All-MVC accolade for Smith.
 
Rohan and Schmitz, both midfielders, each played in 16 matches in their first seasons as Bulldogs. Rohan scored one goal while Schmitz handed out one assist.
 
Drake finished the season with a 12-4-3 overall record after being eliminated by Indiana State in the quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament. The 12 wins are the most since the 2012 season.