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Sisters Stamp Soccer Program With Their Own Sign Of Success
Nov. 21, 2004
Twin sisters Annie and Sarah Hawkins arrived on the Gonzaga campus four years ago as two of the most heralded recruits in school history. Four years later on the eve of their collegiate careers, the Hawkins twins have fulfilled that potential with back-to-back winning seasons. Standout players at Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Hawkins twins suffered their fair share of bumps and bruises during their inaugural college season. Sarah appeared in only 13 matches while Annie was only healthy enough to play in 10. "Our trainer Steve DeLong convinced both of them that the best way to avoid injuries was to get into the weight room and get stronger," mentioned Bulldogs sixth year head coach Shannon Stiles. Both players did indeed hit the weight room and it paid off on the field as Annie appeared in all 19 of the Gonzaga's matches her sophomore season leading the team with six goals and earning honorable mention All-West Coast Conference honors. Sarah also increased her productivity with 16 matches of action and five points for the season. Still that improvement was not enough for the twins as they continued to work hard in the off-season to improve their games. "I would say that both Annie and Sarah majored in soccer while they were at Gonzaga," Stiles added. "Both players are soccer fanatics who are determined to improve their skill level. They would spend hours outside of practice to hone their skills." Hours of practice finally paid off for the sisters in 2003 as Annie broke through as one of the top goal scorers in the WCC. She led the WCC with 13 goals scored and became on the second GU player to earn first-team All-WCC honors as the Bulldogs posted their first winning season in school history. Sarah's game also benefitted from the additional practice as she finished with five goals en route to earning honorable mention All-WCC honors.
The Hawkins twins continued to work on their games during the summer of 2004 as both players represented Region IV at the United States Adult Soccer Association Soccer Festival in Milwaukee, Wisc. Both players helped guide Region IV to the championship of the event with Annie being named a member of the USASA National Select Team. That summer experience helped both players develop into better soccer players as they entered their senior seasons. With Annie a marked woman in 2004, Sarah was able to step into the spotlight and lead the Bulldogs with 18 points. Both players shared the team lead with seven goals as Annie capped her career ranking second at Gonzaga in goals scored. Sarah concluded her career fourth on the all-time list. In addition to individual accolades both the Hawkins twins were able to guide Gonzaga to back-to-back winning seasons exiting Gonzaga with the foundation laid for future success. "This senior class has helped to improve the level of soccer we play at Gonzaga," added Stiles. "The Hawkins twins were two of our top recruits four years ago and I think it is safe to say that they have indeed lived up to all the expectations we had for them."
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