2004 NCCAA National Championship Series

Ashley Palmer, from Indiana Wesleyan University, is the NCCAA 2004 Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award recipient. Ashley, a senior forward from Circleville, Ohio and captain of the Lady Wildcats team this year, has been instrumental in motivating and leading her team since she was a freshman. The team struggled their first few games this year when she was injured, but went on to win 12 straight games since her "semi-recovery". The Michelle Akers award highlights excellence in competition, skill and service. Ashley excels in each of these areas. Over her college career, she has been named to the NCCAA All-American Team, Mid-Central Conference 1st Team and NAIA 2nd Team All-American (the highest award an IWU womens soccer player has ever achieved). Ashley has also been named Mid-Central Conference and NAIA Region VI 11 Player of the Year. With her ability to score goals and set up goals for her teammates , she has helped lead her team to win the Mid-Central Conference Championship for four years and go to the NAIA National Tournament twice. Dr. John Bratcher, Ashley s coach , praised her efforts by saying, "Her sophomore year, IWU lost in 2 overtimes at regionals in snow, and this year the team has qualified for regionals again and is only two games from returning to the National Tournament. This is quite a feat for a team and Ashley has been in the forefront leading during this time." Off the field, Ashley is an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete with a grade point average of 3.4 and has been on the Deans List for her academic achievement. Working towards her BA in Physical Education , Ashley still finds time to be involved in numerous service projects. Coach Bratcher says of Ashley, "She is very concerned for others; she has been on mission trips, coached children , worked at church and at camps and leads her team in devotions. " The NCCAA is proud to recognize Ashley Palmer from Indiana Wesleyan University as the 2004 Michelle Akers Award winner.