Grierson, Fuller, Leshnak earn special recognition from OAC, while five others earn All-Conference honors

By Bud Denega 

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's soccer team was well represented on postseason Ohio Athletic Conference honoree list. Nine Polar Bears were recognized following a season that saw them win both the regular-season conference title and tournament crown.

Senior Meagan Grierson (Dayton/Miamisburg) and juniors Jenna Fuller (Countryside, Ill./Lyons Township) and Sydney Leshnak (Cincinnati/Mount Notre Dame) all reeled in special recognition to go alongside their First Team All-OAC distinction. Grierson won Goalkeeper of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, Fuller was awarded Forward of the Year and Leshnak garnered Defender of the Year honors. 

Seniors Rose Nienaber (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) and Haley Moses (Mason) also landed on the First Team All-OAC list. Junior Megan Breier (Plainfield, Ill./North) and sophomore Carissa Beckham (Mason/Mount Notre Dame) earned second Team All-OAC recognition, while freshman Jerzy Zito (Maumee/Anthony Wayne) garnered Honorable Mention All-OAC. 

Head coach Mark Batman rounded out the award winners, as he was named OAC Coach of the Year. 

Grierson, becomes the first goalkeeper in OAC history to win Goalkeeper of the Year four consecutive years. She has played and started in all 83 games of her ONU career. Grierson is first in program history with 42 shut outs and sixth all-time with 195 saves. She lays claim to a 49-10-3 overall record.

Fuller, is a two-time, first-team All-OAC selection. She was named second-team All-OAC her first season in Ada along with being named OAC Freshman of the Year. Fuller has appeared in all 63 matches of her career and started 59 of them. She has netted 48 goals which ties her for fourth all-time in school history. Her 20 goals scored in 2019 are the second most in a single season and the most since 1997. Fuller's 113 points ranks her sixth all-time in program history, while she has also chipped in 17 assists. 

Leshnak, has won OAC Defender of the Year two straights years. She was also named honorable mention All-OAC as a freshman. Leshnak has started all in all 83 games of her ONU career. She has logged seven goals, five assists and 19 points in her career. 

Nienaber, is a two-time, First Team All-OAC selection. She has appeared in 82 games at ONU with 73 starts. Nienaber has netted 23 goals, 20 assists and 66 points in her career. Her 20 assists tie her for ninth all-time in program history. 

Moses, is a two-time, First Team All-OAC honoree. She was named Second Team All-OAC as a freshman. Moses also garnered the OAC Midfielder of the Year honor as a sophomore. She has started all 82 games of her ONU career. Moses has logged 11 goals, 20 assists and 42 points in her career. Her 20 assists tie her for ninth all-time in school history. 

Breier, has appeared in 64 games at ONU and has made 37 starts. She has registered six goals, 12 assists and 24 points in her career. 

Beckham, has appeared in 31 games at ONU and has made 23 starts. She has recorded one assist and one point. 

Zito, has started all 21 games of her young ONU career. She has one assist and one point. 

Batman, is a two-time recipient of the OAC Coach of the Year award. He has amassed a 216-82-29 overall record in his 16 years at the helm of Ohio Northern. Batman has guided the Polar Bears to five NCAA Tournaments, four OAC regular-season titles and three conference tournament crowns. 

Ohio Northern will battle Grove City (Pa.) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kerscher Stadium.