Women's Soccer | 11/8/2022 2:05:22 PM
Natalie Ricci of Russell Sage College was named Offensive Player of the Year, while St. John Fisher University standout Bella Guarracino earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2022 Women’s Soccer All-Conference selections on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
First-year standout Kiani Barnard Pratt of Alfred University was named Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, while fellow freshman Tatum Overton, a midfielder from Empire 8 Champion Nazareth College, was named the Rookie of the Year. St. John Fisher’s coaching staff, led by head coach Molly Romano, was named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
Ricci was second among all E8 student-athletes in scoring this season with 18 points on seven goals and four assists. Two of her seven goals were game-winners. A four-time All-Empire 8 selection, Ricci has 30 goals and 71 points in 55 career games. She is the first Russell Sage student-athlete to earn Player of the Year honors.
Guarracino became the first St. John Fisher student-athlete to earn Defensive Player of the Year accolades. She led a stout St. John Fisher defense that allowed just four goals in nine Empire 8 regular season games.
Barnard-Pratt enjoyed an incredible season in net for Alfred, recording an .865 save percentage with eight shutouts in 14 games. She was even better in league play, allowing just two goals in nine games with seven shutouts and a .957 save percentage. Barnard-Pratt stopped an incredible 45-of-47 shots in Empire 8 play this season.
Overton helped lead the Golden Flyers to their 12th Empire 8 Championship in 2022. Overton tallied 12 points on five goals and two assists from the midfield. She is the fourth Nazareth student-athlete to earn Empire 8 Rookie of the Year accolades and first since teammate Megan McCraith was honored in 2019.
Romano led the Cardinals to the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship and top seed in the league tournament. St. John Fisher went 6-0-3 in Empire 8 regular season play, allowing just four goals in the nine games. In addition, seven Cardinals earned 2022 All-E8 honors. It is Romano and her staff’s first Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honor and fourth overall. St. John Fisher has now earned this honor for the third time (Jill McCabe - 2001 and 2005).
The Golden Flyers had a league-high five first team members, while a pair of St. John Fisher and Hartwick were honored in addition to Ricci from Russell Sage. Overall, both Nazareth and St. John Fisher student-athletes had seven players earn All-E8 honors, while Russell Sage had six. Ricci earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades for the fourth straight season, while Nazareth’s McKayla Hughes garnered her third E8 first team honor.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2022 E8 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.
2022 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer All-Conference Selections
Offensive Player of the Year: Natalie Ricci, Gr., F, Russell Sage
Defensive Player of the Year: Bella Guarracino, Sr., D, St. John Fisher
Goalkeeper of the Year: Kiani Barnard-Pratt, Fr., GK, Alfred
Rookie of the Year: Tatum Overton, Fr., M, Nazareth
Coaching of the Year: St. John Fisher, led by Head Coach Molly Romano
Empire 8 First Team
Gianna Cacciola, Jr., F, Hartwick
Alexandra Skoda, Jr., F, Nazareth
Sarah Merriweather, Sr., F, Nazareth
Natalie Ricci, Gr., F, Russell Sage
McKayla Hughes, Sr., M, Nazareth
Tatum Overton, Fr., M, Nazareth
Kayla Rhude, Jr., M, St. John Fisher
Nicole Conway, Sr., D, Hartwick
Madison Knowles., Sr., D, Nazareth
Bella Guarracino, Sr., D, St. John Fisher
Kiana Barnard-Pratt, Fr., GK, Alfred
Empire 8 Second Team
Sarah Potocki, Sr., F, Houghton
Kennedy Jones, Jr., F, Russell Sage
Jenn Kirker, Sr., F, St. John Fisher
Ro Hernandez, Sr., F, Utica
Aly Fish, Sr., M, Hartwick
Amelia Geesler, So., M, Russell Sage
Tori Cruz, Jr., M, St. John Fisher
Nyah Solly, So., D, Alfred
Grace Palczewski, So., D, Nazareth
Courtney Bush, Fr., D, Russell Sage
Ryann Dauksza, Fr., D, St. John Fisher
Jenna Keeman, Sr., D, Utica
Annika Monfort, So., GK, Nazareth
Empire 8 Third Team
Abby Scanlan, Fr., F, Alfred
Emma Spelman, So., F, St. John Fisher
Kayla Grassi, So., M, Hartwick
Natalie Milne, So., M, Houghton
Marissa Key, Jr., M, Russell Sage
Claire Squicciarini, So., D, Alfred
Arianna Alvarez, Sr., D, Hartwick
Madison Luxmore, Fr., D, Houghton
Delaney Gillis, Sr., D, Russell Sage
Avery Byrnes, Fr., GK, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Nyah Solly, So., D, Alfred
Kait Bickham, Sr., M, Elmira
Hannah Bochniak, Sr, F, Hartwick
Moriah Steffen, Sr., M, Houghton
Elena Paolini, Sr., M, Keuka
Hannah Harvey, Gr., M, Medaille
Geena Morotti, Sr., M, Nazareth
Julia Gerringer, Jr., D, Russell Sage
Megan Letta, Sr., F, St. John Fisher
Jacinta Kaminski, Gr., M, Utica