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Somerset, NJ – Saint Francis (PA) nabbed three of the five major Northeast Conference women's soccer postseason honors for the second year in a row as the dynamic duo of junior Tesa McKibben (Cogan Station, PA/Montoursville) and sophomore Alecia McNiff (Marietta, PA/Donegal) were voted NEC Player of the Year and NEC Defender of the Year, respectively. McKibben also earned the NEC Golden Boot of the Year honor for leading the league in goals, while her coach, Brenda Van Stralen, was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. Long Island was represented on the awards slate by NEC Goalkeeper of the Year Jennifer Bannon (East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich), a junior, while Central Connecticut State freshman Rosie Maguire (Dublin, Ireland/Colaiste Ide) was named NEC Rookie of the Year.
The awards were announced at a banquet on the eve of the 2011 NEC Women's Soccer Tournament, set to begin on Friday, November 4 at host Saint Francis (PA) in Loretto, PA. In the semifinals, top-seeded Saint Francis (PA) faces off with fourth-seeded Sacred Heart at 12:00 p.m., followed by #2 Long Island taking on #3 seed Monmouth at 2:30 p.m. The championship showdown is scheduled for Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. The winner of the NEC championship will receive the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. First round NCAA action begins on Friday, Nov. 11 at campus sites to be determined.
After missing her freshman year with an injury, McKibben burst onto the scene as a sophomore, leading the league in goals and points en-route to NEC Player of the Year accolades. This season was no different for the junior as she led the league in points (33) and goals (14) for the second year running. She played well under pressure, racking up three game-winners while dishing out five assists in 18 games for the NEC regular season champion Red Flash. In earning her second consecutive Golden Boot honor, McKibben’s 14 goals tie her for 18th nationally. She has been named adidas/NEC Player of the Week four times this season.
McNiff proved to be the perfect compliment to her offensive-minded teammate McKibben all season as she helped Saint Francis (PA) to a league best eight shutouts. The sophomore was named adidas/NEC Defender of the Week in October after making a critical defensive stop in the Red Flash’s 2-1 win over Monmouth in a first place showdown. McNiff, a first team All-NEC selection a year after earning second team honors, also notched one goal and two assists on the season. The goal represented the game-winner in the Red Flash's victory over on October 16th.
Long Island takes home NEC Goalkeeper of the Year honors for the second year in a row, but this season it was Bannon getting the nod. The junior has posted a 1.07 goals against average while notching 65 saves en-route to four shutout performances. Bannon was named adidas/NEC Defender of the Week three times, with her most impressive effort coming against Ivy-League opponent Harvard where she made a season high 10 saves to preserve a 2-1 Blackbird victory against the Crimson. Bannon also led LIU to a seven match win streak to end the regular season. During this stretch the East Greenwich, RI native and All-NEC first teamer surrendered a lone goal in three games and posted shutouts in the remaining four.
Maguire found success on the field this fall as she recorded 13 points, the highest of all NEC freshmen. The Ireland native was named adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week three times and was key in several matches for Central. She proved particularity productive in the middle portion of the season, scoring twice against NEC opponent Sacred Heart and adding a pair of assists in a 3-2 overtime win over Albany. Maguire finished the season first on the team in goals (five), assists (three), points (13) and shots (41).
Van Stralen earns her second consecutive NEC Coach of the Year accolade after leading the Red Flash to a 12-6-1 record and the first NEC regular season title in school history with an 8-1-1 mark. Since her inaugural season, Van Stralen has coached players who have received NEC Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year distinction as well as three Academic All-District honorees. After leading the 2010 squad to an NEC Championship and a near victory over #17 Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, there were high expectations entering 2011, but the Red Flash picked up right where they left off and now have a chance to defend their title at home.
In addition to McKibben and McNiff, Saint Francis (PA) boasts senior midfielder Traci Flick (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville) as a repeat member of the All-NEC first team. Flick, who recorded second team honors her freshman year, has posted two goals and five assists for nine points this fall.
Along with Bannon, the Blackbirds pick up a pair of first teamers in junior defender Katie Egan (Hanover, MA/Hanover) and senior forward Ariana Calderon (Sacramento, CA/St. Francis). Egan was part of a solid Blackbird backfield which only allowed 19 goals in 18 games and posted five shutouts in regular season play. Calderon leads the team and ranks second in the NEC in assists (six), and third in goals (nine) and points (24). The California product also notched adidas/NEC Player of the Week honors twice during the fall. She received her latest honor this past weekend (11/1) for a seven point performance over a span of two games in which she helped the Blackbirds secure the second seed in the league tournament. Calderon is now the all-time scoring leader at Long Island with 67 points.
Monmouth’s first team honorees come from all part of the field as sophomore forward Dana Costello (Jackson, NJ/Jackson), senior midfielder Courtney Snyder (Oradell, NJ/River Dell) and junior defender Stacy Kadell (Upper Saddle River, NJ/Northern Highlands Regional) each earned a spot on the All-League squad. Costello paces the team with 19 points, tallying five goals and a league leading nine assists on the season, bringing her career points total to 36. Snyder was also productive on the offensive end, recording a career best fifteen points over the course of the regular season, including seven goals (fourth in NEC). At the other end of the pitch Kadell anchors a Hawk defense which held league opponents to only 10 goals.
The remaining two spots on the All-NEC first team were awarded to Sacred Heart junior midfielder Jen Mulvey (Manalapan, NJ/St. John Vianney) and Central Connecticut sophomore defender Jewel Robinson (Farmington, CT/Farmington). Mulvey, a captain, has had an explosive junior season in which she has matched her career point total of 11 point as she accumulated five goals and one assist in 18 games. The junior’s most productive day came against Maine where she posted two goals in the Pioneers' 4-3 win over the Black Bears. Robinson, who earned second team All-Conference honors as a freshman, helped the Blue Devil defense hold opponents to a 1.36 goals against average as a sophomore. She also contributed two goals over the course of the season.
Rounding out the Red Flash’s presence on the All-Conference slate is sophomore midfielder Stephanie Boulter (Poolesville, MD/Poolesville) who makes her first appearance on the second team. The sophomore proved to be critical in the clutch as she recorded three goals during her second year in Loretto, all of which were game-winners. The three game-winning markers places her second in the conference in that category.
Long Island and Sacred Heart each added a representative to the second team as Blackbird midfielder Jen Spicer (Shelton, CT/Shelton) and Pioneer sophomore defender Alyssa Brandofino (East Northport, NY/Commack) both picked up their first career All-Conference honor. Spicer, a sophomore, has nearly quadrupled her freshman year point total with seven goals and one assist for 15 points. The seven tallies ties her for fourth on the circuit. Brandofino heads up a Pioneer defense which has only surrendered 21 goals in 18 games. The defender has also made her presence known on the opposite end of the field as her sixth assists is the second-best mark in the league.
After leading Robert Morris to a team record 11-win season, forward Ayana Davis (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Holy Cross) and midfielder Brianna Bell (Irwin, PA/Hempfield) both earn second team All-Conference honors for their respective seasons. Davis, who ranks second in the conference in points (24) and goals (11), was a force in helping the Colonials record their first winning season in program history. The senior was named adidas/NEC Player of the Week following her performance in the opening weekend of the season. Davis scored twice during the Embassy Suites Kick-off Classic and earned MVP honors for the tournament. Bell successfully shattered her three-year career point total of nine in her senior season, notching 13 points in 20 games. The senior’s five assists and four goals helped the Colonials earn the league’s highest assist total of 32, as well as a second place ranking for their goals per game average of 1.75.
Quinnipiac is also represented on the second team roster thanks to midfielder Shauna Edwards (Southington, CT/Southington) and defender Kyla Miles (Newtown, CT/Newtown). Edwards, a junior, posted three goals and three assists for the Bobcats this season, matching her combined freshman and sophomore year offensive output. Miles, a 2010 NEC All-Tournament selection, proved once again to be a force on defense in her final year as a Bobcat. The Connecticut added an assist to her resume
Forwards Julie Vigliotti (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) of Wagner and Rashidah Sherman (Pelham Manor, NY/Pelham Manor) of Fairleigh Dickinson also claim spots on the All Conference second team. Vigliotti, who ranks fifth in league with 16 points, posted six goals and four assists in her junior campaign. The Staten Island native proved to be a leader in tight situations as well as two of her six goals were game-winners. Sherman, who earns All-NEC honors for the first time in her career, paced the team with four goals and two assists in her final year. Over her career the New York native amassed 44 total points and 19 goals.
Rounding out the all-NEC second team are Bryant defender Mary Green (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) and Mount St. Mary’s goalkeeper Alicia Miller (Lititz, PA/Warwick). Green, a senior, makes her second career appearance on the all-conference second team after grabbing a spot at a sophomore. As a senior, Green helped the Bulldogs record five shutouts while also booting in two goals, one of which was a game-winner. Miller, also a senior, broke virtually every Mount goalkeeper record in program history and now holds the top spot in saves (388), games played (63), shutouts (11), wins (18) and minutes played. For her senior year, Miller leads the league in saves (111) and saves per game (6.17).
Added to this year’s list of postseason accolades is the NEC All-Rookie Team, which features the league's top 11 first-year players, including CCSU's Maguire, the NEC Rookie of the Year. Leading the inaugural class with three honorees is Monmouth whose Kimberly Clemmer (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial), Jill Root (Havertown, PA/Havertown) and Jocelyn McCoy each earned a nod. Clemmer, a midfielder and defender, has recorded one goal in her freshman year off of six shots, helping the team to a 29-goal total. Root, a forward, amassed two goals and dished out four assists for eight points during the regular season. The Pennsylvania native proved particularly productive in conference play as seven of her eight points were scored against NEC teams. Defensively, McCoy ranks second in the NEC in save percentage (.826) and goals against average (0.94).
Long Island also grabbed two spots on the All-Rookie team with honorees Shannon O’Conner (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and Sydney Ciufo (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon). O’Conner a defender/midfielder, posted an assist in the fourteen games she has played in as a freshman while Ciufo, a midfielder, has scored once and handed out a pair of assists for four points in her first year as a Blackbird.
Playoff bound Sacred Heart nabbed two All-Rookie nods in midfielders Jillian Pincinich (Bellmore, CT/Mepham) and Kristin Verrette (Saugus, MA/Bishop Fenwick). The Connecticut native has racked up two assists in her freshman campaign, while Verrette has tallied on one occasion.
Defender Haley Vincent (Barrier, Ontario/PEAC School for Elite Athletes) of Robert Morris was named to the All-Rookie squad after playing in all 20 games on the RMU backline. She also posted her first career point in the from of an assist in a 5-1 win over Niagara.
On the offensive end of the field Mount St. Mary’s midfielder/forward Alicia Mirando (Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity) totaled twenty shots in her first year, three of which resulted in goals for a total of six points. Quinnipiac midfielder Jess Lavoie (Berlin, CT/Berlin) rounded out the 11-person team after she started in every game for the Bobcats this season.
2011 NEC Women's Soccer Award Winners
Player of the Year
Tesa McKibben SFPA F Jr. Cogan Station, PA/Montoursville
Defensive Player of the Year
Alecia McNiff SFPA D So. Marietta, PA/Donegal
Rookie of the Year
Rosie Maguire CCSU F Fr. Dublin, Ireland/Colaiste Ide
Goalkeeper of the Year
Jennifer Bannon LIU GK Jr. East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich
Coach of the Year
Brenda van Stralen SFPA
Golden Boot Award Winner
Tesa McKibben SFPA F Jr. Cogan Station, PA/Montoursville
2011 NEC Women's Soccer First Team All-Conference
Name School Pos. Yr Hometown/High School
Tesa McKibben SFPA F Jr. Cogan Station/PA Motoursville
Arianna Calderon LIU F Sr. Sacramento, CA/St. Francis
Dana Costello MU F So. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial
Courtney Snyder MU M Sr. Oradell, NJ/River Dell
Traci Flick SFPA M Sr. Montoursville, PA/Montoursville
Jen Mulvey SHU M Jr. Manalapan, NJ/St. John Vianney
Alecia McNiff SFPA D So. Marietta, PA/Donegal
Jewel Robinson CCSU D So. Farmington, CT/Farmington
Stacy Kadell MU D Jr. Upper Saddle River, NJ/Northern Highlands Regional
Katie Egan LIU D Jr. Hanover, MA/Hanover
Jennifer Bannon LIU GK Jr. East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich
2011 NEC Women's Soccer Second Team All-Conference
Name School Pos. Yr Hometown/High School
Ayana Davis RMU F Sr. Mt. Laurel, NJ/Holy Cross
Julie Vigliotti WC F Jr. Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy
Rashidah Sherman FDU F Sr. Pelham Manor, NY/Pelham Manor
Jen Spicer LIU M So. Shelton, CT/Shelton
Shauna Edwards QU M So. Southington, CT/Southington HS
Brianna Bell RMU M Sr. Irwin, PA/Hempfield
Stephanie Boulter SFPA M So. Poolesville, MD/Poolesville
Kyla Miles QU D Sr. Newtown, CT/Newtown
Alyssa Brandofino SHU D So. East Northport, NY/Commack
Mary Green BU D Sr. Merrick, NY/Calhoun
Alicia Miller MSM GK Sr. Lititz, PA/Warwick
2011 Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team
Name School Pos. Hometown/High School
Rosie Maguire CSU F Dublin, Ireland/ Colaiste Ide
Shannon O’Connor LIU D/M Venetia, PA/Peters Township
Sydney Ciufo LIU M Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon
Kimberly Clemmer MU D/M Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial
Jill Root MU M Havertown, PA/Havertown
Jocelyn McCoy MU GK Crofton, MD/Archbishop Spalding
Alicia Mirando MSM M/F Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity
Jess Lavoie QU M Berlin, CT/Berlin
Haley Vincent RMU D Barrie, Ontario/PEAC School for Elite Athletes
Jillian Pincinich SHU M Bellmore, CT/Mepham
Kristin Verrette SHU M Saugus, MA/Bishop Fenwick