Missouri State women's soccer junior Kate Hercules was named the to Soccer Buzz All-Central Region Third Team, announced Tuesday.

Buzz Awards, presented since 1996, are decided by a vote open to all Division I Head Coaches and Soccer Buzz staff. Sixty-seven schools comprising the Central Region, the largest region in the country, were eligible. Soccer Buzz is an online magazine devoted to women’s collegiate soccer.

The defender from Kansas City, Mo., led the Bears' defense to a 1.03 goals-against average and seven shutouts in the 2005 campaign. Hercules added six points on three goals, including one game winner, starting all 16 matches in which she played this season. Hercules was named the 2005 MVC Defensive Player of the Year, the third for Missouri State in as many years, and a first team all-conference selection. She was also named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII second team for the 2005 campaign.

Missouri State closed out the 2005 season on a 2-2 tie against Evansville, with the Purple Aces moving on in the State Farm MVC Tournament with a 4-2 decision in penalty kicks. Head coach Rob Brewer's squad finished the year at 9-4-5 and in third place in the Valley standings with a league mark of 3-1-2.