Votta is ECAC Metro Rookie of the Year, Garcia & George Named All-Stars

Press Release from the ECAC

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2013 Division III Metro Women's Soccer All-Star teams today. A pair of Mount Saint Mary College standouts took home Player of the Year Honors, as sophomore Shanice Robe was elected the Offensive Player of the Year and senior teammate Tara McDermott was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year. The Rookie of the Year honor was awarded to St. Joseph's College (L.I.) sophomore goalkeeper Cristiana Votta. The Division III Metro Women's Soccer All-Star teams are selected from a possible 27 institutions from five conferences, and the voting is completed by the head coaches within the Division III Metro Women's Soccer membership.

Robe finished the 2013 season tied for seventh in all of NCAA Division III Women's Soccer with 25 goals and came in tied at No. 12 with 53 points. Eight of her 25 goals were game winning goals and helped lead the Knights to the Skyline Conference Championship game. Robe was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year for a second consecutive season and was honored as the ECAC Metro Women's Soccer Player of the Week three times this season. Additionally, Robe was named to the 2013 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III Women's All-East First Team.

Joining Robe as an NSCAA Division III All-East Regional selection, McDermott was named to the 2013 Third Team. The senior captain anchored a defense that posted nine shutouts and allowed just 16 goals in 22 games this season. She was named the Skyline Conference Defensive Player of the Year and is a four-time All-Skyline First Team selection. McDermott helped lead the Knights to the four-straight Skyline finals and three consecutive undefeated conference regular seasons.

Votta was a three-time ECAC Metro Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week during her freshman season. She led the Skyline Conference in shutouts (11), goals against average (0.79) and save percentage (.854). From Sep. 28 through Oct. 8, Votta posted five consecutive shutouts and later in the season, she notched three-straight clean sheets to help propel the Golden Eagles into the Skyline Conference Semifinal.

2013 ECAC Division III Metro Women's Soccer All-Star Teams

First Team
Defense
Ashley George - Sr. - St. Joseph's College (L.I.)
Alexa Orlando - Fr. - Farmingdale State
Miranda Donnian - Sr. - Rowan University
Jordan Downs - Jr. - The College of New Jersey
Tara McDermott - Sr. - Mount Saint Mary College

Midfield
Bethany Bianco - Jr. - Farmingdale State
Briana Fischer - Sr. - Stockton College
Sloan DePero - Sr. - The College of New Jersey
Samantha Garcia - Sr. - St. Joseph's College (L.I.)

Forward
Shanice Robe - So. - Mount Saint Mary College
Tiffany Kelly - Jr. - Rowan University
Katie Lindacher - Sr. - The College of New Jersey
Demi-Jean Martorano - Sr. - College of Staten Island

Goalkeeper
Nicole Carroll - Sr. - City College of New York
Jackie Mancini - Sr. - Mount Saint Mary College

Second Team
Defense
Samantha Dias - So. - Lehman College
Katelyn Davis - So. - John Jay College
Jasmine Fermin - Fr. - Brooklyn College
Heather Ruger - Sr. - City College of New York
Nicole Molinell - So. - College of Staten Island
Amanda Percaccio - Sr. - College of Staten Island

Midfield
Melissa Gelardi - Jr. - College of Staten Island
Shani Abrahams - Sr. - Brooklyn College
Sayla Flores - So. - Brooklyn College
Brigit Burgio - Sr. - Mount Saint Mary College

Forward
Ashlee Thompson - So. - Farmingdale State
Erika Suhl - Jr. - Rowan University
Vivian Vazquez - Fr. - City College of New York
JoAnna Kettell - Sr. - The College at Old Westbury
Jorrie Trenkamp - Sr. - SUNY Maritime
Yanique Newman - Jr. - City College of New York

Goalkeeper
Andrea Antoni - So. - John Jay College

Offensive Player of the Year
Shanice Robe - So. - Mount Saint Mary College

Defensive Player of the Year
Tara McDermott - Sr. - Mount Saint Mary College

Rookie of the Year
Cristiana Votta - Fr. - St. Joseph's College (L.I.)

About the ECAC
The ECAC is the nation's largest athletic and the only multi-divisional conference in the country with more than 300 Divisions I, II, and III colleges and universities. The ECAC stretches from Maine to North Carolina and westerly to Colorado. Established in 1938, the ECAC, a non-profit service organization, sponsors nearly 100 championships in 37 men's and women's sports and assigns more than 4,400 officials in 12 sports. The ECAC also administers nine affiliate sports organizations and six playing leagues, and through the public relations arm of the conference, more than 2,500 student-athletes in 23 sports are recognized annually. Finally, the ECAC serves as the primary conference for select members in the sports of men's and women's ice hockey and men's lacrosse.