University of Cincinnati senior midfielder Nickie Luse (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American second team.

In addition, the Bearcats ended the season ranked in the top 15 nationally in two polls. Soccerbuzz.com ranked UC No. 12 nationally and first in the Great Lakes Region, while the NSCAA rankings have the Bearcats No. 15.

Luse is the sixth player in program history to receive Scholar All-America honors from the NSCAA. She carries a 3.43 GPA in nursing and was the Bearcats fourth leading scorer this season, tallying a career-high four goals and adding three assists. Luse netted UC’s first goal of the NCAA Tournament win over Oakland and also added a marker in the Conference USA Tournament against UAB.

Luse, a 2001 tri-captain, finished her career with seven goals and 11 assists in 83 games. She was named third-team All-C USA this season and was the winner of the first ever Jean Stephens Memorial Award for excellence on and off the field last spring. Luse was also named the Most Valuable Midfielder at the C-USA Tournament.

Luse is the program’s first Academic All-American since Dawn Havlin earned second team honors in 1992.

The Bearcats concluded the most successful season in school history with a mark of 20-4, advancing to the round of 16 of the NCAA Women’s College Cup. UC won it’s third C-USA regular season title, while also capturing it’s third tournament championship. Cincinnati made it’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance a successful one, picking up the first NCAA win in school history against Oakland and also knocking off No. 7 Notre Dame.