ECAC Announces 2016 Division III North Women's Soccer All-Stars
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced its 2016 Division III North Women’s Soccer All-Star Team.
Kara Shue from William Smith College captured the award for Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate Emma Diehl was voted the Defensive Player of the Year. Goalkeeper Joey Lyons from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earned the Rookie of the Year honor, and William Smith’s Aliceann Wilber took home the award for Coach of the Year.
Shue had an outstanding end to her Heron career earning The Liberty League Player of the Year with a career-high 41 points on 13 goals and 15 assists. Her assist total stands as a Heron single-season record. Shue notched at least a point in all but four matches this season. The senior produced a season-high six points, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Denison. The forward finished the season ranked fourth in the nation in assists and 15th in assists per game (0.68). Shue played in 87 career matches and holds the William Smith career record for assists with 49. She's tied for fourth in the career points list (117) and ranks 11th in career goals (34). The senior was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-East Region first team.
Diehl was the backbone of the William Smith defense that had 16 shutouts this season, including a span of 14 straight, earning her The Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year. William Smith allowed just four goals during the regular season and gave up a total of 10 in their 22 games. The Herons finished the year ranked 10th in the nation in shutout percentage (.727). An offensive force, the senior posted a career-high 10 points on three goals and four assists this fall. Diehl played in 87 career games for the Heron’s. In her four years on the team, the Herons notched 67 shutouts. Diel earned NSCAA All-East Region first team honor and CoSIDA Academic All-America second team honor.
Lyons had a stellar rookie season in net for the Engineers. She finished the regular season with a record of 14-5-1, a 0.60 goals against average, a .876 save percentage and 11 shutouts as the starter in all 20 games. Lyons earned the Liberty League Rookie of the Year accolade as she led the league in games played, games started, total saves and shutout percentage (.550). Lyons is second in goals-against-average and save percentage and is fourth in saves per game (4.25). In conference games, Lyons ranks second in goals-against-average (0.55), save percentage (.891), and shutouts per game (.556). During the season she had three straight shutouts of league opponents in a span of five days. Lyon was a three-time Defensive Performer of the Week this year, and earned All-Liberty League First Team honors.
Coach Wilber lead the Herons to a 21-1-0 overall record, William Smith's 21 wins rank second on the single season list. The Herons posted an immaculate 8-0-0 record in the Liberty League and captured their 10th straight Liberty League regular-season and tournament titles. The Herons set program records for points (243), goals (86), and assists (71) in a season. Coach Wilber and her staff received the NSCAA Regional Staffs of the Year award; This is Coach Wilbers’ eighth of her career.
2016 ECAC Division III North Women’s Soccer All-Star Team
Offensive Player of the Year
Kara Shue – William Smith College
Defensive Player of the Year
Emma Diehl – William Smith College
Rookie of the Year
Joey Lyons – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Coach of the Year
Aliceann Wilber – William Smith College
First Team
Julia Delgatti – Nazareth College
Kara Shue – William Smith College
Melissa Smith – Buffalo State College
Alex Gallagher – Misericordia University
Evie Manning - William Smith College
Julie Youngman – Marywood University
Kylen Smith – Misericordia University
Bethany Hanson – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Bridget Westerman - William Smith College
Emma Diehl - William Smith College
Brayden Dobles – Nazareth College
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