40 in 40 - Women All-Americans
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Title IX, wmubroncos.com takes a look at 40 key moments/females in the history of women's athletics at Western Michigan University. Though the selection process, an effort was made to highlight a moment and player/coach from each of our current women's sports programs, as well pay respect to our women's legacy sports. A different feature will be released each of the 40 days, July 24 through Sept. 1.
Women All-Americans
As an individual athlete, one of the top recognitions one can earn is All-American status. At Western Michigan, 22 different women have earned that honor on 31 different occasions.
Track & Field is the leading sport count with 14 All-American recognitions, followed by women's basketball with seven, volleyball with five, softball with four and cross country with one.
Ten of the track & field honors have come during the outdoor season, while four have come during indoor. In 2012, the 4x400 team of Andrea Arnold, Iris Campbell, Victoria Chatman and Leya Munwam became WMU's first All-American relay team.
Six different student-athletes are among the elite group at Western Michigan who have claimed multiple All-American recognitions. Becky Horn (Track & Field) is the school's only three-time All-American in any sport, twice earning the honor in outdoor track and once in indoor track in the 800-meter run.
Other two-time All-Americans include Jill Stamison (outdoor & indoor track, 800m run), Casey Rost (women's basketball), Pat Charity (women's basketball), Sarah Powers (volleyball) and Julie Liljeberg (softball). Horn, Stamison, Charity and Powers have all earned their own place in our 40 in 40 Series.
The All-American selection process largely varies between team sports (basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball) and sports where athletes compete on a team but also as individuals (cross country, golf, gymnastics, tennis, track & field).
For the first four sports All-Americans are voted on by members of the media (ex: Associated Press, COSIDA) or a coaches' association (ex: National Soccer Coaches Association of America). In sports where athletes compete on a team but also as individuals, All-American status is given based on performance at a national meet or competition (ex: track & field top-8 finisher in NCAA in event).
Women's Track and Field - 14
2012 Andrea Arnold (4x400)
Outdoor
2012 Iris Campbell (4x400) Outdoor
2012 Victoria Chatman
(4x400) Outdoor
2012 Leya Munwam (4x400) Outdoor
2008 Becky Horn Outdoor
2008
Becky Horn Indoor
2008 Danielle Brown Outdoor
2007 Becky Horn
Indoor
1998 Jamie Strieter Outdoor
1997 Phyllis Brooks Outdoor
1993
Jill Stamison Outdoor
1993 Jill Stamison Indoor
1987 Caroline
Mullen Outdoor
1979 Kay Barstow Indoor
Women's Basketball - 7
2007 Carrie Moore Honorable Mention
2006 Casey Rost Honorable Mention
2004 Casey Rost Honorable Mention
2003 Kristin Koetsier Honorable Mention
2000 Shelsea Erving Honorable Mention
1980 Pat Charity Honorable Mention
1978 Pat Charity Honorable Mention
* 2000 Kristin Koetsier Freshman All-America (2x)
Select sports have Freshman All-American awards, which are limited to just freshmen.
1987 Lise Martin Honorable Mention
1986 Sarah Powers Third Team
1985 Sarah Powers Second Team
1984 Sarah Powers Honorable Mention
1983 Jackie Backus First Team
Softball
- 4
1990 Julie Liljeberg Third Team
1989 Julie Liljeberg
Third Team
1982 Bonni Kinne First Team
1982 Linda Berndt First
Team
Women's Cross Country - 1
1985 Kayla Skelly First Team
