Women's Soccer | 11/12/2019 9:59:38 AM
The Empire 8 Conference announced its 2019 Women’s Soccer All-Conference awards on Tuesday, November 12. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Senior forward Mikayla Blumenstock of Empire 8 Champion Utica College was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while junior Courtney Velho of E8 runner-up Hartwick College was named the Defensive Player of the Year. First-year defender Megan McCraith of semifinalist Nazareth College earned Rookie of the Year honors, while Hartwick’s coaching staff, led by head coach Brian Knapp, was named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
Blumenstock leads all Empire 8 student-athletes in scoring and is among the top scorers in Division III with 22 goals and 47 assists. She has scored at least one goal in 12 of her 17 games played with three hat-tricks. Blumenstock was named the United Soccer Coaches Division III Women’s Soccer Player of the Week on Nov. 5. Velho, the 2017 Empire 8 co-Rookie of the Year, was the leader of a stout Hartwick defense that allowed just 15 goals in 20 games, while McCraith emerged as a leader on the Nazareth defense that allowed just 14 goals in 17 contests. Knapp led the Hawks to a 12-4-3 record in 2019 and a berth in the E8 title game. It is Knapp and his staff’s second Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honor in the last three seasons.
The Golden Flyers had a league-high four first team members, while a pair of Utica and Alfred players were honored. Hartwick, Houghton and Sage each had one member on the first team. Overall, eight Hartwick student-athletes earned All-E8 honors, while Fisher and Nazareth had six apiece. Velho earned All-Empire 8 first team honors for the third straight season, while Blumenstock, fellow Utica teammate Kierra Caissey and Nazareth goalkeeper Hannah Miller recorded All-E8 first team plaudits for the second straight season.
The four Empire 8 first team forwards, Blumenstock, Natalie O’Brien of Alfred, Sierra Neddo of Houghton and Natalie Ricci of Sage, have combined for 55 goals and 125 points in 2019. Caissey and a pair of Nazareth standouts, Caleigh Cahoon and McKayla Hughes highlighted the first team midfield group, while Velho, McCraith and Amanda Guaraglia of Alfred garnered first team defensive accolades. Miller, the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year in 2018, recorded a 0.81 goals against average and an .880 save percentage with six shutouts in 2019.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2019 Women's Soccer Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2019 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Mikayla Blumenstock, Sr., F, Utica
Defensive Player of the Year: Courtney Velho, Jr., D, Hartwick
Rookie of the Year: Megan McCraith, Fr., D, Nazareth
Coaching Staff of the Year: Hartwick, led by Head Coach Brian Knapp
Empire 8 First Team
Natalie O’Brien, Sr., F, Alfred
Sierra Neddo, So., F, Houghton
Natalie Ricci, So., F, Sage
Mikayla Blumenstock, Sr., F, Utica
McKayla Hughes, Fr., M, Nazareth
Caleigh Cahoon, Jr., M, Nazareth
Kierra Caissey, Jr., M, Utica
Courtney Velho, Jr., D, Hartwick
Amanda Guariglia, Jr., D, Alfred
Megan McCraith, Fr., D, Nazareth
Hannah Miller, Sr., GK, Nazareth
Empire 8 Second Team
Carli Kovarik, So., F, St. John Fisher
Tanner Reed, Sr., F, Hartwick
Gabrielle Kreppein, Jr., F, Hartwick
Abigail Austin, So., M, Alfred
Logan Chase, Jr., M, St. John Fisher
Shiane Irwin, Jr., M, St. John Fisher
Emily Wright, Gr., M, Alfred
Noelle Colilli, Sr., D, Nazareth
Molly Tice, Gr., D, St. John Fisher
Mia Strollo, Sr., D, Nazareth
Mia Tirabassi, Sr., D, St. John Fisher
Cassandra Robataille, Sr., GK, Hartwick
Empire 8 Honorable Mention
Megan Letta, Fr., F, St. John Fisher
Kealy DeForest, Jr., F, Houghton
Mary Doell, Fr., F, Houghton
Samantha Ford, Sr., M, Hartwick
Maggie Rogers, Jr., M, Hartwick
Moriah Steffen, Fr., M, Houghton
Angela Gonzalez, So., M, Sage
Maegan Villa, Sr., M, Sage
Dana Caputo, Jr., D, Hartwick
Katie Weaver, Jr., D, Hartwick
McKenzie Marti, Sr., D, Houghton
Emma Workman, Jr., D, Utica
Amanda Thut, Jr., D, Utica
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Katline Cartright, Jr., F, Alfred
Nicole Hanselman, Sr., F, Elmira
Jacqueline Smith, Sr., D, Hartwick
Rachael Fortney, Sr., GK, Houghton
Lindsie Farrance, Sr., M, Nazareth
Kallan Shertzer, Fr., GK, Sage
Emily Murray, Sr., M, St. John Fisher
Mikayla Blumenstock, Sr., F, Utica
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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