BY: Gwen Ambler
November, 2005

Every team in a Region gets to vote for the seven players that make it on to the All-Region teams, so everyone knows that if a player is on an All-Region team, she commanded the attention and respect of her regional rivals. For the 2008 season, there are 18 players across the country that have been recognized as All-Region caliber (some more than once!). Many of these high-profile players lead high-profile teams and are shoo-ins to be on the short-list for the Callahan award this spring. Even those that aren't nominated for the Callahan will continue to be impact players to watch out for.

Kira Frew at the College Championships in 2007

From the Northwest region, Kira Frew (British Columbia) has been an All-Region player for the past two seasons. She is currently in her fifth year of college eligibility and was the main handler during the Thunderbirds' 2007 season that culminated in a double-game-point loss during the semi-finals of the College Championships. She was her team's Callahan nominee last year, and finished among the top 12 players in the country. She could easily be in the top 5 this year, perhaps even winning it all. Across the border, sophomore Shannon O'Malley (Washington) has also been garnering attention. Fresh off an illustrious juniors career, O'Malley was voted onto the All-Region team as a freshman and also received Freshman of the Year honors. O'Malley is unlikely to be nominated for the Callahan award this year (her team traditionally nominates a senior), but O'Malley is one of her team's most potent threats and will be a top player for years to come.

Georgia Bosscher in 2007

In the Central region, two players' names especially stand out. Senior Megan Molteni (Carleton) is an All-Region player from both 2006 and 2007. Her skill and determination as a player and leader are obvious to anyone watching Syzygy play. She returns to the scene in 2008 determined to continue Carleton's rise back to the top of the college game, and will be gathering Callahan hype along the way if her team decides to eschew its traditions and nominate a player. Regional rival Wisconsin has a star of it's own. Junior Georgia Bosscher (Wisconsin) has been getting attention ever since she was in high school on the Junior Worlds team. She won the Great Lakes' Freshman of the Year award in 2006 (while she was playing for Wheaton) and made it onto the Central All-Region team in 2007 after transfering to Wisconsin. Bella Donna has been one of the top college programs during the last three seasons, and Bosscher is a big part of the team's success this year. As a junior, Bosscher may not be nominated for the Callahan by her team, but if she is she will certainly be among the top players.

The Great Lakes also have two well-recognized players, both from Michigian. Senior Sarah Griffith has been on the All-Region team for the past two seasons while Junior Emily Baecher joined the All-Region ranks last year. These teammates provide a one-two punch that has left many opponents reeling. Michigan won the two most prestigious fall tournaments in 2007 (CCC and Elite Eights) based on the determined cutting of Griffith and the flawless handling of Baecher. Each team only gets one nomination for the Callahan, although the Regional Coordinator could allow both these women to be in the race since each RC can also nominate a player.

In the Southwest, senior Katie Barry (UC-Santa Barbara) will be striving to help her team make its way back to the finals of the College Championships. Barry was an integral part of the Burning Skirts' success last year and she will have an even bigger role this year with the graduation of a number of the roster's stars. Grad student Amy Smith (Colorado) is another All-Region player, although she was recognized in 2006 in the Atlantic Coast region while playing as an undergraduate at Emory. Smith is a huge addition to Colorado's roster and will be turning heads in the SW with her talent. If nominated for the Callahan, Smith could do very well in the voting as she would be a familiar name and face for players in both the AC and the SW.

Everyone in the Metro East knows Amanda Davis (Rutgers). She won the Freshman of the Year award in 2005 and has since made the All-Region team in 2006 and 2007. Now as a senior, she will continue to lead Rutgers as it vies for one of the coveted bids to the College Championships. If she is nominated for the Callahan, she will have the support of one of the most populous regions in the country. More recently, Senior Raha Mozaffari (Pennslyvania) has been making a name for herself in the region. She was voted to the All-Region team last year and continues to make the big plays that caught her opponents attention in 2007.

New England has 5 All-Region players from 2007 returning for this season. Leila Tunnel (Connecticut College) is only a sophomore, but she is the heart and soul of her team already. Tunnel made a name for herself on the Junior Worlds teams in 2004 and 2006 and is now working hard to build the ultimate program at Connecticut College. Dartmouth returns two All-Region players: Seniors Eleanor Johnson and Emily Rooke. These players were a part of the team that made it to the quarterfinals of the College Championships in 2006, and both are eager to return Princess Layout to the upper tier of college ultimate. Fifth year player Mackenzie Fazekas returns to Boston University after playing a season with women's club team Brute Squad and gaining valuable experience. Stephanie Barker is also back at Northeastern and helped lead the team to a second place finish at the recent President's Day tournament in San Diego.

Becca Shelton at the Stanford Invite in 2007

The South has the tradition of voting young players from growing programs on to the All-Region team. As a result, there are 5 women currently playing who earned All-Region honors in 2006 or 2007. Of these players, Rebecca Shelton (Texas) is the best known outside the region. She made it onto the All-Region team in 2006 and is Mele's best player this season, leading them to commanding performances against tough competition. Shelton will likely be nominated by her team for the Callahan award and will definitely earn many votes. Washington University returns two top players, Senior Traci Horner and Junior Kate Stambaugh. Both these players were on the 2006 All-Region team and Stambaugh was also voted Freshman of the Year that season. WashU is a team on the rise, in part thanks to the inspired play of these two players. Senior Jessica Hoppe (Oklahoma) is a more recent addition to the All-Region list, making it to the team last season. She has been building a young team that continues to show promise. Junior Vikki Lyda (Arkansas) also made the All-Region team in 2007 and leads a growing program. So many skilled players in the South can only mean good things for the growing level of parity and competion in the region.

Many new stars are sure to emerge during the 2008 season, but a look at who has gained accolades already gives many clues to who will continue to be recognized for their stellar performances on the ultimate field.