Ressler, Keester Named to All-Central Region Teams

KEESTER AND RESSLER 2016 HONORS
Name	Award
Liz Keester	NSCAA All-Central Region Second Team
	Second-Team All-Big 12
	Big 12 All-Tournament Team
	Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 20)
	CoSIDA Academic All-District Seven Team
	First-Team Academic All-Big 12

Rachel Ressler	NSCAA All-Central Region First Team
	First-Team All-Big 12
	Preseason All-Big 12 Team
	First-Team Academic All-Big 12

NORMAN — Oklahoma soccer seniors Rachel Ressler and Liz Keester were recognized by the NSCAA, with Ressler being named to the All-Central Region First Team and Keester receiving second-team accolades.

Both Ressler and Keester were instrumental parts of the Sooners' record-breaking 2016 season, highlighted by a program-record 14 wins and six All-Big 12 selections and their first-ever victory in an NCAA Championship game with a 1-0 win over SMU in the first round.

In her OU career, Ressler started all 84 matches, including 23 as a senior. The Phoenix, Ariz., native scored five goals and recorded two assists for a total of 12 points in 2016. She was a key part of an OU backline that allowed 22 goals, the fourth-fewest in OU history, and recorded a program-high-matching nine shutouts. The recognition from the NSCAA is the second of Ressler's career as she was named to the second team as a junior.

Keester led the Sooners in goals (nine), game-winning goals (five), assists (six) and points (24) as a senior, with six goals coming in an impressive five-match stretch. Her five game winners are tied with Renae Cullear (2012) and Logan Womack (2000) for second-most in a single season in OU history. The Tulsa, Okla., native is also tied for fourth in goals and assists and shares fifth in points in the OU record books for a season.

This marks the first time the Sooners have had multiple selections to the all-region teams in a single season, and Ressler is the first OU player to ever receive the honor more than once in her career. Other Sooners named NSCAA All-Region include Logan Womack (2001), Lauren MacIver (2005), Whitney Palmer (2009) and Renae Cullear (2012).