WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University, which earned its second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season championship, claimed three of the league's five major individual awards, while nine Hawks earned all-conference honors. Five Hawks were selected to the All-MAAC First Team, four were named to the All-MAAC Second Team, and one was chosen as an All-MAAC Rookie Team member.
Earning major awards were freshman forward Rachelle Ross (Mount Laurel, N.J/Lenape), who was tabbed the Rookie of the Year and senior back Alexa Freguletti (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah), who was named Defensive Player of the Year, while head coach Krissy Turner was honored as the Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year for a second straight season, her fifth overall Coach of the Year citation.
Announced on Thursday night at the annual awards banquet at the 2014 MAAC Women's Soccer Championship, the MAAC's individual awards, and All-MAAC first team, second team and All-Rookie team were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches.
Turner, who earned her fifth career conference coach of the year honor, led the preseason favorite Hawks to a 14-4-0 overall record and a 9-1 mark in MAAC regular season play. The Hawks, who concluded the regular season ranked eighth in the NSCAA Northeast Region, have recorded their ninth straight season with a double-digit victory total, and have posted a 17-1-2 mark in league action in their first two campaigns in the MAAC.
Ross was named MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2014, Monmouth's second straight Rookie of the Year winner and third overall (Alexis McTamney 2013 and Andrea Lopez 2006). The team-leader with 19 points on seven goals and five assists, Ross, who has appeared in all 18 matches, including 16 starts, registered game-winning goals this year against Fairleigh Dickinson, Lafayette and Quinnipiac.
Freguletti was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year, as well as First Team All-MAAC. The back, who played in 16 games this year, ranked third on the team with 13 points on five goals and three assists.
Rider junior midfielder Tara Ballay was named 2014 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, following her regular season with a league leading 11 goals and 24 points, while Siena senior Taylor Booth was chosen as the MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year.
Earning a spot on the All-MAAC First Team for a second straight season is last year's Rookie of the Year Alexis McTamney (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional), who started all 18 matches for the Hawks, and ranked second on the team with 17 points on six goals (three game-winners) and five assists, to go along with a team-high 68 shots.
Joining McTamney and Freguletti on the All-MAAC First Team are senior back and team captain Kim Clemmer (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial), who has played every minute at center back for the Hawks the last two seasons, junior midfielder Brianne Boyle (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan), who added three goals and a pair of game-winning tallies, and sophomore midfielder Julie Spracklin (Eastampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional), who also notched 13 points on five goals (two game-winners) and three assists.
Ross highlights Monmouth's Second Team members, along with sophomore Erica Murphy (Millstone Township, N.J./Pennington Prep), who notched a team-high eight goals, including three game-winning scores to go along with an assist to rank second with 17 points, and junior backs Monique Goncalves (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) and Colleen Howard (Mount Laurel, N.J./Holy Cross), while Ross was also a unanimous selection to the MAAC All-Rookie squad.
Monmouth, which ended the regular season on an eight-game win streak and 11 shutouts, has not allowed a goal in the final 519:24 minutes of the year. The Hawks, who outscored their opposition 38-15 overall and 26-6 in MAAC contests, have registered a 0.83 goals-against-average to date.
The MAAC also announced its 2014 Women's Soccer All-Academic Team on Thursday. A total of 110 athletes comprise the 2014 MAAC Women's Soccer All-Academic Team. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. Monmouth University placed 14 student-athletes on the list.
Danielle Axelrod, Jr., Communication
Alexandra Baca, Sr., Health Studies and Physical Education
Brianne Boyle, Jr., Business Accounting
Kristen Brett, Sr., Biology
Kim Clemmer, Sr., Health Studies and Physical Education
Breynn Collazo, Sr., Biology
Alexa Freguletti, Sr., History
Monique Goncalves, Jr., Social Work
Martika Hubbard, Sr., Psychology
Sydney Lavan, So., Chemistry
Jocelyn McCoy, Sr., Business Marketing
Cara Poole, Jr.. Health Studies and Physical Education
Julie Spracklin, So., Health Studies
Carlie Till, So., English
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