Women's Soccer

Bencini Earns Academic Award
         Southern Illinois University Edwardsville defender Padra Bencini (Carbondale) was named to the 2004 Academic All-District V College Division Women's Soccer first team.
         The Academic All-District team includes all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA school from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and parts of Canada. They are selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. Bencini was a third team All-District selection last season.
         She now will be placed on the national ballot with the possibility of being named Academic All-American.
         Bencini, who holds a 3.89 grade point average in Health Education at SIUE, has been one of the major reasons for the Cougars' 16-4 record and 11-2 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Bencini has started 19 of 20 games this season and is used primarily as a marking back and sweeper.
         Bencini and the Cougars play tonight at the Great Lakes Valley Conference in Wilder, Ky. SIUE faces UW-Parkside in a 7:30 p.m. EST game.
         -siue cougars-