Dec. 15, 2009

Solana Beach, Calif. - Grand Valley State's Irie Dennis was nominated as a candidate for the 2009-2010 Division II Athlete of the Year representing soccer on Tuesday, Dec. 15. This is the 23rd year the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program recognizes annually the top women collegiate athlete in each of the 11 sports in Division II. The national coaches association nominates athletes for each of the 11 sports.

Earlier this season, Dennis was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American First Team and the Daktronics Honorable Mention All-American team for the first time. She was also named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Offensive Player of the Year and was a First Team selection. The senior forward from New Albany, Ohio, was also selected to the ESPN The Magazine Second Team.

In her career she is sixth in school history with 92 points and 31 goals and is fifth with 30 assists. Dennis has been apart of an impressive senior class that has posted a record of 84-4-6 (.926), becoming the most successful senior class in the program's history.

The awards program is sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and to celebrate the award American Honda Motor Co., Inc. donates $1,000 to the women's athletic fund of each nominee's university. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. will also donate $5,000 to the school of the Division II Athlete of Year recipient.

A press conference will be held June 21, 2010 in Los Angeles to announce and present The Division II Athlete of the Year.