Hall of Fame
Anne Van Devender ’09 was one of the best women’s soccer players ever to don the Blue & White of Washington and Lee.
Van Devender was a four-year starter at the forward position, playing in 73 career contests. A team captain as a senior, she finished her career with 161 points on 64 goals and 33 assists. She graduated ranking second all-time at W&L in all three categories.
Van Devender made a significant contribution to the team from the very start, finishing third on the team in scoring during her rookie season with 19 points on nine goals and one assist. She helped the Generals to a 13-3-3 overall record and a trip to the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Her sophomore season proved to be one of the greatest offensive campaigns in program history. She set program records for points (57) and goals (23) in a season, leading the Generals to a 19-1-3 overall record and a trip to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Honors soon followed, as she was named First Team All-ODAC, First Team All-State and First Team All-South Region.
W&L posted a 16-4 mark during her junior year, in large part to another outstanding offensive season. She once again led the team in scoring with 40 points on 15 goals and 10 assists, en route to earning ODAC and VaSID Player of the Year accolades. She repeated as a First Team All-ODAC, First Team All-State and First Team All-South Region honoree, and she was named a Second Team All-American, just the second player in program history to earn the distinction.
As a senior in 2008, Van Devender once again led the Generals in scoring, tallying 17 goals and 11 assists for 45 points for a team that finished 13-5 overall. She earned First Team All-ODAC, First Team All-State and First Team All-South Region honors for the third straight year, and added ODAC Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurels. She also became the first player in program history to become a two-time All-American, garnering third team honors.
A well-rounded student-athlete, Van Devender earned the 2009 Marjorie Berkley Award as the top female scholar-athlete in the ODAC and she added CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America laurels as well.
After her playing career was completed, Van Devender was awarded the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
