Pair of Grizzlies named Scholar All-West Region

Montana seniors Tess Brenneman and Kailey Norman were named Scholar All-West Region on Thursday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, an achievement that can only be fully appreciated with two points of perspective.

Brenneman, who has a 3.90 GPA as a health and human performance major, was one of 11 players on the West Region's first team. With the NSCAA only using four regions for its annual academic award, Brenneman is one of just 45 players from across the nation to earn first-team honors in their region.

Norman, who has a 3.75 GPA as a business marketing major, made second team, giving the Grizzlies two of the region's 21 selections to match national champion USC and Stanford, and give Montana more than UCLA, Utah and Santa Clara, which only had one each.

"It doesn't matter where you come from. If you perform, people will take notice," said UM coach Mark Plakorus, who has now had seven players earn NSCAA Scholar All-West Region honors, with Brenneman joining Lauren Costa (2012) and Brooke Moody (2014) as first-team selections.

Earlier this month, Brenneman was named second-team All-Pacific Region by the NSCAA.

She didn't miss a match in her career, playing in all 81 the last four seasons, starting the last 69. Brenneman was voted second-team All-Big Sky Conference at outside back as a sophomore. After moving to center back, she earned first-team All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior.

Norman, second-team All-Big Sky as a sophomore and junior, was voted first-team All-BSC and Goalkeeper of the Year last month after leading the league in goals-against average (0.79) and shutouts (8).

She ends her career ranked second in program history in both wins (29) and shutouts (24).

Brenneman will be a four-time Academic All-Big Sky Conference selection when those teams are announced in January. Norman will be a three-time selection, but only because she did not play in enough matches as a freshman to qualify. Both will graduate in May.

"It's not easy to be able to excel on both the field and in the classroom. It takes someone who is willing to put the work in, and both Tess and Kailey were willing to do the work," said Plakorus.

"It's difficult being a student-athlete, so it's pretty neat when you get recognition at this level."

2016 NSCAA Scholar All-West Region

First Team
Pos. -- Player (Class, School, Major, GPA, Hometown)
K -- Sammy Jo Prudhomme (Sr., USC, Communication, 3.32, Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
D -- Maddie Bauer (Sr., Stanford, International relations, 3.56, Newport Beach, Calif.)
D -- Tess Brenneman (Sr., Montana, Health and human performance, 3.90, Kalispell, Mont.)
D -- Haley Lukas (Jr., California, Business administration, 3.62, Pleasanton, Calif.)
D -- Nicole Thompson (Sr., Cal State Northridge, Engineering, 3.82, Granada Hills, Calif.)
M -- Andi Sullivan (Jr., Stanford, Management science and engineering, 3.37, Lorton, Va.)
F -- Dorthe Hoppius (Jr., San Jose State, Justice studies, 3.62, Dorsten, Germany)
F -- Darian Jenkins (Sr., UCLA, American literature and culture, 3.42, Riverton, Utah)
F -- Lily Sender (Sr., UNLV, Mechanical engineering, 3.55, Honolulu, Hawaii)
F -- Arielle Ship (Sr., California, Legal studies, 3.32, Westlake Village, Calif.)
F -- Michelle Vascolcelos (Sr., BYU, Exercise and wellness, 3.54, Sandy, Utah)

Second Team
Pos. -- Player (Class, School, Major, GPA, Hometown)
K -- Janelle Flores (Jr., Boise State, Criminal justice and psychology, 3.39, Hesperia, Calif.)
K -- Kailey Norman (Sr., Montana, Business marketing, 3.75, Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
D -- Madeline Chase (Sr., Northern Colorado, Business, 3.74, Happy Valley, Ore.)
D -- Savannah Levin (Sr., USC, Psychology, 3.58, Newport Coast, Calif.)
D -- Kellie Peay (Jr., Santa Clara, Communications, 3.39, Phoenix, Ariz.)
M -- Emma Fletcher (Sr., California, Interdisciplinary studies, 3.42, Victoria, B.C.)
M -- Jordan Magnin (Sr., UNLV, Hospitality management, 3.50, Temecula, Calif.)
M -- Elena Medeiros (Sr., BYU, Pre-management, 3.72, Bountiful, Utah)
M -- Katie Rodgers (Sr., Utah, Exercise and sport science, 3.61, Mount Laurel, N.J.)
F -- Hannah Diaz (Jr., St. Mary's, Political science and philosophy, 3.52, Hidden Valley Lake, Calif.)

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Tess Brenneman

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