2015 WOMEN’S SOCCER MAJOR AWARDS ANNOUNCED
EDISON, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced the 2015 women’s soccer major award winners and All-MAAC teams, as selected by the leagues 11 head coaches.
Headlining the major award winners and All-MAAC First Team was junior forward Alexis McTamney of Monmouth University who was named 2015 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year. McTamney finished the regular season as the only player in the conference that ranked top five in points (4th), points per game (4th), goals (T5th), goals per game (T5th), assists (T3rd), and assists per game (T5th). She added three game-winning goals in 16 starts for the Hawks.
Manhattan College teammates, senior goalkeeper Kristen Skonieczny and junior defender Jenny Bitzer were selected as the MAAC Goalkeeper and Defensive Player of the Year respectively. Skonieczny led the conference with a .917 save percentage and also ranked first with her 0.40 goals against average. She made a total of 66 saves on the regular season and recorded a league best nine shutouts. Bitzer was a key member of a Jasper defense that only allowed eight total goals on the season, including just three in 10 MAAC contest. Her Jaspers defense also led the conference with a 0.45 goals against average, and 11 shutouts. Bitzer scored one goal on the season, which was a game-winner.
Freshman forward Nadya Gill from Quinnipiac University was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year. Gill led all MAAC freshmen, and ranked sixth in the conference with 19 points. Her five game-winning goals ranked second in the league and she was tied for fifth in the conference with eight goals. Gill was named rookie of the week twice and offensive player of the week once this year.
Head coach Brendan Lawler of Manhattan College was named the Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year by his peers. Lawler guided the Jaspers to a 6-1-3 league mark for 21 points and a 10-4-3 overall record in route to a second place finish in the regular season and number two overall seed in the Women’s Soccer Championship. Manhattan finished the regular season as the league’s top defense, ranking sixth nationally in goals against average a being one of just 11 programs in the country to give up single digit goals.
Joining McTamney on the All-MAAC First team at the forward position are Erica Modena of Manhattan, Monmouth teammate Erica Murphy, and Haillie Price from Niagara. At midfield are Manhattan’s Nicole Copping, Monmouth’s Brianne Boyle, and Rider’s Hollie Kelsh. Kristen Brett and Julie Spracklin of Monmouth, Hayley Besaw from Niagara and Tara Sobierajski of Siena are the backs. The first team goalkeeper is Skonieczny.
The forwards making up the All-MAAC Second team are Monmouth’s Rachael Ivanicki, Gill, and Rider’s Ellie Smith. The midfield includes Rachelle Ross of Monmouth, Hope Quinonez from Marist, and Madison Vasquez of Siena. Fairfield’s Karolyn Collins, Bitzer, Colleen Howard of Monmouth, Amelia Gulley from Niagara, and Amanda McCabe of Rider are the backs. Bethany-May Howard from Rider earns a spot as the keeper.
Gill is joined on the MAAC All-Rookie Team at the forward position by Marist’s Kristen Reilly, Quinnipiac teammate Jess Gargan, and Siena’s Gabby Albano. The midfielders are made up of Nicole Copping of Manhattan, Hope Quinonez from Marist, Allison DeLuca of Monmouth, and Kourtney Cunningham from Rider. Marist’s Tori Flaherty, Niagara’s Tuesday Jordan, Quinnipiac’s Sarahkate Norton, Rider’s Meghan McCabe, and Siena’s Amanda Holtzman are the backs.
2015 MAAC Women’s Soccer Awards
Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year: Brendan Lawler, Manhattan
Offensive Player of the Year: Alexis McTamney, Monmouth
Defensive Player of the Year: Jenny Bitzer, Manhattan
Goalkeeper of the Year: Kristen Skonieczny, Manhattan
Rookie of the Year: Nadya Gill, Quinnipiac
FIRST TEAM ALL-MAAC
|
Player
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School
|
Position
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Erica Modena
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Manhattan
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Forward
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Alexis McTamney
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Monmouth
|
Forward
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Erica Murphy
|
Monmouth
|
Forward
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Haillie Price
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Niagara
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Forward
|
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Nicole Copping
|
Manhattan
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Midfielder
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Brianne Boyle
|
Monmouth
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Midfielder
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Hollie Kelsh
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Rider
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Midfielder
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Kristen Brett
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Monmouth
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Back
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Julie Spracklin
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Monmouth
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Back
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Hayley Besaw
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Niagara
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Back
|
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Tara Sobierajski
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Siena
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Back
|
|
Kristen Skonieczny
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Manhattan
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Goalkeeper
|
SECOND TEAM ALL-MAAC
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Player
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School
|
Position
|
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Rachael Ivanicki
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Monmouth
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Forward
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Nadya Gill
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Quinnipiac
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Forward
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Ellie Smith
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Rider
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Forward
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|
Hope Quinonez
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Marist
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Midfielder
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|
Rachelle Ross
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Monmouth
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Midfielder
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Madison Vasquez
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Siena
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Midfielder
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Karolyn Collins
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Fairfield
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Back
|
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Jenny Bitzer
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Manhattan
|
Back
|
|
Colleen Howard
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Monmouth
|
Back
|
|
Amelia Gulley
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Niagara
|
Back
|
|
Meghan McCabe
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Rider
|
Back
|
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Bethany-May Howard
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Rider
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Goalkeeper
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ALL-ROOKIE
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Player
|
School
|
Position
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Kristen Reilly
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Marist
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Forward
|
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Jess Gargan
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Quinnipiac
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Forward
|
|
Nadya Gill
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Quinnipiac
|
Forward
|
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Gabby Albano
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Siena
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Forward
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|
Nicole Copping
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Manhattan
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Midfielder
|
|
Hope Quinonez
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Marist
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Midfielder
|
|
Allison DeLuca
|
Monmouth
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Midfielder
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|
Kourtney Cunningham
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Rider
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Midfielder
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|
Tori Flaherty
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Marist
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Back
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|
Tuesday Jordan
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Niagara
|
Back
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|
Sarahkate Norton
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Quinnipiac
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Back
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|
Meghan McCabe
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Rider
|
Back
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|
Amanda Holtzman
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Siena
|
Back
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