Ellenburg named third-team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches

Ellenburg named third-team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- Tusculum University sophomore defender Kenzie Ellenburg has been named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women's All-Southeast Region Team, which was released on Monday.

Ellenburg was a third-team selection on defense after earning honorable mention All-South Atlantic Conference honors for the Pioneers. She started all 18 matches as Tusculum went 8-7-3 overall and finished sixth in the SAC with a 5-3-2 league record.

The Mosheim, Tennessee native and Greeneville High School graduate contributed a goal and an assist on offense during the 2018 season, both coming in a season-opening 3-2 win over 23rd-ranked Nova Southeastern. Ellenburg was a key part of a Pioneer defense that allowed just 13 goals in 10 conference matches and compiled four shutouts.

Ellenburg is the 37th All-Region selection from Tusculum made by the United Soccer Coaches and its predecessor, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, since the Pioneers joined NCAA Division II in 1999. The Pioneers have had at least one player named to the All-Region team in 18 of those 20 seasons, with the last coming in 2017 when Carlie Thornber was a second-team honoree.

Among Tusculum's eight wins this season were four victories against NCAA Tournament participants. In addition to the victory over Nova Southeastern in the season opener, the Pioneers had road wins at SAC regular-season champion Carson-Newman (2-1 on Oct. 3) and tournament champion and region finalist Lincoln Memorial (1-0 in overtime on Oct. 17), along with a 3-1 win at home over Catawba on Sept. 29.