Vistnes, Brandman, Guglielmo and Scovel Headline ECC Women’s Soccer All-Conference Awards

Central Islip, N.Y. – Junior Susanne Vistnes (Randaberg, Norway) from LIU Post has once again been selected as the East Coast Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, as voted on by the league's coaches. Vistnes' teammate, Kristin Brandman (East Northport, N.Y.) has been named the Defensive Player of the Year, while Dowling's Melissa Guglielmo (West Babylon, N.Y.) has been named the Goalkeeper of the Year. Mercy freshman back Samantha Scovel (La Mirada, Calif.) wraps up the major awards as the Rookie of the Year. Mercy head coach, Jonathan Feinstein, was also named the Coach of the Year by his peers for the second straight season.

Vistnes earns the conference's top offensive honor for the third straight season. For the third time in as many seasons, Vistnes topped the ECC leader board with 18 goals and 46 points. She also ranked third in the conference by dishing out 10 assists and was the runner-up with four game winning goals. Vistnes prolific scoring ability has her ranked near the top of all of Division II, as well. During the regular season, she ranked second nationally in goals, goals per game (1.13), points, and points per game (2.88).

Brandman takes home the Defensive Player of the Year honor after starring on an LIU Post back line that allowed only nine goals in 16 games. Her play helped LIU Post rank in the top 25 in Division II in both goals against average (0.55) and shutout percentage (.563).

Guglielmo is honored as the Goalkeeper of the Year after compiling a 11-3-2 record in front of the net for the Golden Lions. On the season the three-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week tallied 57 saves for a 0.90 goals against average, both good for fifth in the conference. Guglielmo also posted five shutouts and finished second in ECC action with an .824 save percentage.

Scovel is honored as the conference's top rookie after helping to anchor an imposing back line for Mercy. Scovel started all 17 games for the Mavericks, helping them allow only nine goals and shut out 11 opponents on the season. Her standout play also helped Mercy rank 13th in shutout percentage (.647) and 17th in goals against average (.518) in all of Division II.

Feinstein was named the Coach of the Year for the second straight season by leading the Mavericks to a 14-2-1 record and the No. 2 seed in the ECC Championship tournament for the second consecutive season. Mercy also earned their first-ever national ranking under his guidance, spending five weeks in the rankings and climbing as high as No. 13.

Vistnes, Brandman, Scovel and Guglielmo are joined on the All-Conference First Team by: Jessica DeLeon (F, Mercy), Lindsey Thompson (F, Dowling), Julia Backman (M, LIU Post), Bella Mitrevski (M, Roberts Wesleyan), Nicola Worthington (M, Bridgeport), Abby Zielinski (M, Mercy), and Julia Weidenmark (B, Bridgeport).

Second Team recipients include forwards: Lauren Bellone (LIU Post), Jessica Carrillo (Mercy), and Heaven Palamitia (Roberts Wesleyan); midfielders: MacKenzie Cochrane (Mercy), Christina Cottone (Dowling), Danielle Lehman (LIU Post), and Allie Merrill (Dowling); backs: Kristen Breihof (Dowling), Savannah Campana (Mercy), and Katie LaManna (LIU Post); and goalkeeper: Mersina Onesto (Queens).

Student-athletes named Honorable Mention All-Conference include forwards Fran Glenny (NYIT) and Danielle Valente  (Molloy), midfielders Gianna Jennosa (Molloy) and Alexis Ruggiero (Daemen), backs Gabrielle Batista (Molloy) and Meghan Diehl (Daemen), and goalkeepers Hreffie Agnarsdottir (LIU Post) and Vanessa Cordoba (NYIT).

2014 ECC Women's Soccer All-Conference
First Team
F - Jessica DeLeon, (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.) Mercy
F - Lindsey Thompson, (Sr., Centereach, N.Y.) Dowling
F - Susanne Vistnes, (Jr., Randaberg, Norway) LIU Post
M - Julia Backman, (So., Morsil, Sweden) LIU Post
M - Bella Mitrevski, (So., Rochester, N.Y.) Roberts Wesleyan
M - Nicola Worthington, (So., Cholley, England) Bridgeport
M - Abby Zielinski, (Sr., Lancaster, Pa.) Mercy
B - Kristin Brandman, (So., East Northport, N.Y.) LIU Post
B - Samantha Scovel, (Fr., La Mirada, Calif.) Mercy
B - Julia Weidenmark, (So., Vamamo, Sweden) Bridgeport
GK - Melissa Guglielmo, (Sr., West Babylon, N.Y.) Dowling

Second Team
F - Lauren Bellone, (Sr., West Islip, N.Y.) LIU Post
F - Jessica Carrillo, (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) Mercy
F - Heaven Palamitia, (Jr., Rochester, N.Y.) Roberts Wesleyan
M - MacKenzie Cochrane, (Sr., Mission Viejo, Calif.) Mercy
M - Christina Cottone, (So., Levittown, N.Y.) Dowling
M - Danielle Lehman, (Jr., Brockport, N.Y.) LIU Post
M - Allie Merrill, (Jr., Levittown, N.Y.) Dowling
B - Kristen Breihof, (Fr., Levittown, N.Y.) Dowling
B - Savannah Campana, (Jr., Garden City Park, N.Y.) Mercy
B - Katie LaManna, (Jr., Smithtown, N.Y.) LIU Post
GK - Mersina Onesto, (Sr., Rockville Centre, N.Y.) Queens

Honorable Mention
F: Fran Glenny, (So., Melbourne, Australia) NYIT; Danielle Valente, (So., South Setauket, N.Y.) Molloy
M: Gianna Jennosa, (So., Islip Terrace, N.Y.) Molloy; Alexis Ruggiero, (Fr., Lancaster, N.Y.) Daemen
B: Gabrielle Batista, (So., Hicksville, N.Y.) Molloy; Meghan Diehl, (Sr., Webster, N.Y.) Daemen
GK: Hreffie Agnarsdottir, (So., Reykjavik, Iceland) LIU Post; Vanessa Cordoba, (Fr., Bogota, Colombia) NYIT

Offensive Player of the Year: Susanne Vistnes, LIU Post
Defensive Player of the Year: Kristin Brandman, LIU Post
Goalkeeper of the Year: Melissa Guglielmo, Dowling
Rookie of the Year: Samantha Scovel, Mercy
Coach of the Year: Jonathan Feinstein, Mercy