[AWARDS] Illinois head coach Janet Rayfield has been named as the 2012 recipient of the NSCAA Honor Award, the most prestigious distinction the coaching organization presents for an individual's contribution to the game of soccer and to the NSCAA. Rayfield is the first ever female recipient of the award, which has been presented yearly since 1942.

Rayfield, a star at North Carolina during that program's infancy, took the helm of the Illini soccer program in 2002. She is the all-time winningest coach at Illinois, accumulating a record of 140-79-21 through Nov. 9.

Five Illini have been named Big Ten players of the year, Illinois won Big Ten Tournament championships in 2003 and 2011 and made nine of its 11 NCAA Tournament appearances during her tenure.

Rayfield served as the NSCAA president in 2003 and is currently an NSCAA senior national staff coach. She will accept the Honor Award at the 2013 NSCAA convention in January.

Rayfield was an assistant coach for the U-20 women's national team that won the 2012 U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan.

"Janet is one of the best coaches in America," said U.S. coach Steve Swanson. "She is outstanding in everything she does."