
Sykes, a sophomore from Huddersfield, England, led the RedHawks to their first national championship this year after a 1-0 victory against seventh-seeded Lee University (Tenn.). The RedHawks also captured the Region XI championship while Sykes earned region player of the year honors as well as NAIA First-Team All-American honors.
Sykes scored ten goals and had eleven assists during the 2005 season. Martin Methodist became just the second top-seeded team to win the national championship. She was also named to the all-tournament team as Martin Methodist finished their season with a 23-1-1 record.