SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — University of New England men’s soccer senior goalkeeper Aidan McParland has been named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and joining him with an All-CCC 1st Team selection is sophomore defender Erik Holmquist, as the all-conference teams and major awards were announced Friday afternoon.
For McParland, it marks a third-consecutive year being honored as the CCC’s top netminder. He presently owns a 0.85 goals against average with six shutouts, and his 106 stops on the season equal an .883 save percentage ”“ currently the 13th-best average in Division III. Within conference games, McParland had the most total saves (62) and ranked second in both save percentage (.849) and shutouts (3).
Holmquist has served as the last line of defense in front of McParland, helping the Nor’easters hold their competition to less than one goal per 90 minutes and limit opponents to less than half (45 percent) of their total shot attempts finding the target. He also has one goal so far this year.
The pair have been an integral part of UNE posting its best record (9-6-2) since the 2009 season.
UNE heads to top-seeded Nichols today for a CCC quarterfinal-round contest.
UNE women’s soccer hauls in CCC honors
University of New England women’s soccer player Lindsey Monaco has been named as the Commonwealth Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year as well as CCC Co-Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, and Becca Murphy has been chosen as CCC Co-Rookie of the Year, with the release of the all-conference teams and major awards on Thursday.
Monaco was also selected as a 1st Team defender in voting conducted by the league’s 10 head coaches. Senior midfielder Margaret Palmer and junior forward Jackie Dickerson landed 2nd Team picks, while sophomore defender Katelyn Pierson and sophomore goalkeeper Brielle Robinson received Honorable Mention recognition.
A second-team back last season, Monaco anchored a UNE defensive unit that surrendered just five goals over nine conference outings and posted five shutouts against league competition. The co-captain has also contributed on offense with two goals and six assists so far this season ”“ four of those helpers have come in CCC games, ranking her tied for first.
Off the field, Monaco is slated to graduate this coming May with a degree in applied exercise science. The Dean’s List student plans on pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy next fall. She is a two-time member of the CCC Academic All-Conference Team.
Murphy and Dickerson have fueled the attack to date with eight goals apiece, combining for five assists, and racking up a total of nine game-winning tallies. Murphy currently leads UNE with 20 points and five game-winning goals, while in CCC action she ranks tied for first in assists (four) and tied fourth in points (10). Dickerson shares the CCC lead in both goals (six) and points (13).
Palmer repeats her second team pick from a year ago, securing the center of the field for the Nor’easters in addition to notching four goals and two assists so far in 2014. Like Palmer, Pierson ”“ a former Thornton Academy standout ”“ now has honorable mention picks in each of last two years, securing the right side of UNE’s back line.
In 15 appearances for Big Blue, Robinson owns a 0.67 goals-against average with an .884 save percentage and a pair of clean sheets. Both shutouts have come against CCC competition, where she ranks second in GAA (0.56) and third in save percentage (.902).
The Nor’easters enter the CCC Women’s Soccer Championship as the No. 4 seed and will host fifth-seeded Gordon College today at noon.
UNE women’s hoops opens ranked 20th
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The University of New England women’s basketball team has been ranked at No. 20 in Division III entering the 2014-15 season, as the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 Poll was released Friday afternoon by D3sports.com Executive Editor Pat Coleman.
UNE concluded the 2013-14 campaign receiving votes (No. 28) in the final D3hoops poll and ranked 20th in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll, and the Nor’easters welcome back all five starters and a total of 12 returning players to the new year. UNE set a program-record for wins during a 27-3 season that featured a second straight Commonwealth Coast Conference title and a repeat appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship.
Reigning national champion Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham topped the poll with 16 out of 25 first-place votes, which are cast by a panel of coaches, Sports Information Directors, and media members from around the country.
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