Ohio Wesleyan University will recognize its 2002 women's soccer team as part of the University's second annual Team of Distinction ceremony on Saturday, October 6, during Homecoming & Family Weekend.

The Team of Distinction was created to recognize individual teams that have distinguished themselves and made extraordinary contributions to OWU athletics.

The 2002 women's soccer team assembled one of the greatest seasons in Ohio Wesleyan history.  The Battling Bishops ran the table that year, winning all 24 games on the way to winning Ohio Wesleyan's second consecutive NCAA Division III championship.

Ohio Wesleyan stormed through the North Coast Athletic Conference schedule, winning all 8 games and outscoring conference foes by a margin of 38-0.  The Bishops finished the regular season with 11 consecutive shutouts, and after defeating Denison and Wooster in the conference tournament, the team was off to the NCAA Division III tournament for the fifth consecutive year.

The Great Lakes Regional title came back to Delaware after wins of 3-0 over Westminster and 2-0 over host Wilmington, setting up a quarterfinal matchup against St. Thomas (Minn.).  On a cold, damp evening at muddy Roy Rike Field, the Bishops and Tommies played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, and it went to penalty kicks to determine which team would advance.  Mindy Hammond '03, the Battling Bishops' goalkeeper, converted a penalty kick to give the Bishops a 3-2 lead in the session, then saved St. Thomas' final kick to send the Bishops to the national semifinals.  Under the rules in place for the 2002 season, the game was recorded as a win for Ohio Wesleyan, keeping the Bishops' winning streak intact.

Sarah Wall '06 scored in the third minute and set up Erika Howland '04 on a goal in the ninth minute to lead the Bishops past host William Smith, 3-0, in a national semifinal matchup.

In the national championship game, Howland scored midway through the first half and the Bishop defense made the lead stand in a 1-0 win over Messiah in the national championship game.  The Bishops did not allow a goal during their 5-game march to the national title, and finished the season with an astounding 90-4 scoring margin.

"I think it's just unbelievable what the (team has) accomplished, going through an undefeated season," said head coach Bob Barnes after the national championship game.  "Winning it twice in a row is just absolutely surreal. I feel great for the upperclassmen that have done incredible things from starting their career winning 19 games in a row and then they finish it off by winning 45 straight."

The 1998 men's soccer team, which won Ohio Wesleyan's first national championship in that sport, also was selected as a Team of Distinction but will be recognized during next fall's ceremonies.