April 11, 2001
By Student Assistant: Sara Swenson
Fancher and Wright Sign for Women's Soccer
Whitney Fancher, a forward from Springfield, Mo., and Ellen Wright, a midfielder/foward from St. Louis will join the Bulldogs in the upcoming soccer season.
Fancher has acquired several honors to her name thus far in her soccer career. The Missouri State High School Coaches Association named her to the all-Southwest region team her junior year. She also earned first-team all-conference honors and the team's most valuable offensive player award as a junior. She received the Ozark Conference first-team all-academic award as a sophomore and junior, and was voted most valuable player for the junior varsity team as a freshman.
In addition to her experience on the Kickapoo High School team, Fancher played on three club teams. She was a member of the Springfield Panthers from 1995-2000, a team that placed second in the state cup in 1995 and third in 1997. She also played competitively for the Springfield LCS 11 team in 2000. On the recreational level, she was a part of the Strikers from 1992-1995.
Academically, Fancher ranks first in her class of 425 and boasts a 5.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. She held a spot on the principal's honor roll her freshman, sophomore and junior years and was a member of the National Honor Society as a sophomore and junior.
Wright will join the 'Dogs after playing for Kirkwood High School and the Iron Kids Soccer Club. She also competed on the varsity level in basketball.
Last season the 'Dogs captured their second consecutive Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title, posting a 15-4 overall record. The winning campaign marked the end of head coach Mike Cannon's 10th season with the 'Dogs. Cannon, who was named MIAA co-coach of the year, holds a 91-44-13 (.659) career record.