Three Marietta senior student-athletes earn Academic All-OAC in women's soccer

Nov. 16, 2005
TWINSBURG, Ohio – The Ohio Athletic Conference released its women's soccer Academic All-OAC winners Wednesday (Nov. 16). Three seniors — Bethany Blahnik (Mansfield/Ontario), Kristin Drain (Point Pleasant, W.Va.) and Emilee Knowlton (Marietta) — represented Marietta College on the Academic All-OAC list.

For Blahnik, it is her third straight year that she received academic recognition from the conference, as she was named Academic All-OAC in 2004 and given honorable mention in 2003. The goalkeeper carries a 3.72 GPA as an allied health major. She was also recently named ESPN the Magazine Academic first team All-District IV and is on the national ballot for Academic All-American honors.

Blahnik is also a two-time All-OAC honorable mention award winner. In 2005, she posted a shutout in 12 of 19 games, allowed just 12 goals and played every minute in goal in MC's record-breaking 14-win season. Blahnik led the Ohio Athletic Conference in goals against average (0.62), saves percentage (.887) and shutouts (12), while finishing third in saves (94). Blahnik finished her career as the school record holder in shutouts with 32, victories with 45 and with GAA of 0.82, while fourth in career saves (356).

Drain was an unanimous selection to the 2005 Academic All-OAC team. The defender has a 3.29 GPA in petroleum engineering. The senior also received All-OAC recognition for the third season this fall. She finished with two goals on the year, while helping lead the defense to another record-breaking season.

Knowlton was also an unanimous selection in 2005, after being given honorable mention in 2004. The allied health major entered the semester with a 3.78 GPA. In addition to her academic honors, Knowlton earned honorable mention for the second consecutive season. The defender also played a prominent role in the success of the team, as she was able to consistently shutdown her opponent's main scoring threat. Knowlton scored four goals and had two assists (10 points) on the season. Three of her four goals were game-winners, including one against Wilmington for the second straight season.

As a team, Marietta finished the year with an overall record of 14-3-2, 5-3-1 in the OAC. It tied for fourth in the league standings, but was left out of the conference tournament because of tiebreakers. The Pioneers set seven single-season records this fall — most wins (14), highest winning percentage (.789), fewest losses (3), fewest goals allowed (12), most shutouts (12), longest unbeaten streak (14 games) and longest unbeaten streak at home (8 games).