Women's Soccer Has Five Earn All-New England Honors
The Central Connecticut women's soccer team had five student-athletes recognized on the NCAA Division I 2021 NEWISA All-New England Team it was announced by the New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association on Wednesday. Junior midfielder Roma McLaughlin headlined the honorees as the overall leading vote-getter, along with Kayla Brown of Brown. Senior Erica Bardes joined McLaughlin on the First Team, while junior Amanda McQuillan was named to the Second Team. Senior Tess Atkinson and freshman Kelly Brady were selected to the Third Team.
"The 2021 NEWISA All-New England Team honors the best student-athletes from colleges and universities throughout the region," said NEWISA President Tom McGuinness. "These players represent some of the most talented collegiate players in the country. They have driven their teams to great success on the field and deserve to be recognized for all their accomplishments. NEWISA congratulates them on their achievements this season."
McLaughlin, a two-time All-American, and a Second Team All-North Region pick in 2021 was tied at the top of the Northeast Conference with nine goals on the season. Totaling 21 points on the year, McLaughlin was also named Midfielder of the Year by the NEC and has represented Ireland on the international level. McLaughlin has tallied 25 goals, 13 assistants and 63 in 60 career matches, while helping CCSU win four straight conference titles.
Bardes was the leader on a defense that had an answer for every offense this season and earned Third Team All-North Region honors this season. Bardes was named NEC Defender of the Year by the NEC. She tallied a goal and five assists this season, while helping the Blue Devils to their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Bardes is the Blue Devils' career leader with 86 appearances and she scored the game winning goal at Rutgers in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
McQuillan posted eight shutouts in 2021 and made 64 saves, matching a career-high. She has posted a career record of 27-8-4 with a 0.80 goals against average. The 2020-21 Northeast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, she is a two-time All-New England Selection and was a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region First Team in the spring.
Arkinson played in 18 matches this fall after converting to defense ahead of the spring season. She posted two assists and was named to the All-NEC First Team this fall. She posted five goals and seven assists in her career, while helping the Blue Devils to four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Brady scored three goals and five assists while earning All-NEC First Team honors. In the abbreviated spring season, she was named NEC Rookie of the Year after leading CCSU with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Brady has already collected three game-winning goals in her young career.
The New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association is an over 35-year-old member organization that supports the women's collegiate soccer community in New England at the NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III level. NEWISA's signature program is the Senior Bowl. The organization also recognizes All-New England Teams, highlights Coaching Staff of the Year Awards, offers Coaching Scholarships and honors New England collegiate soccer alumna for their service efforts.
2021 NEWISA All-New England First Team
• Jaydah Bedoyah, Forward, University of Connecticut
• Jenna Bike, Forward, Boston College
• Meg Hughes, Forward, Providence College
• Brittany Raphino, Forward, Brown University*
• Allie Winstanley, Forward, Dartmouth College
• Ella Bankert, Midfielder, University of Vermont
• Amber Birchwell, Midfielder, Providence College
• Gabby Diodati, Midfielder, Fairfield University
• Roma McLaughlin, Midfielder, Central Connecticut State University*^
• Emily Nelson, Midfielder, UMass Lowell
• Erica Bardes, Defender, Central Connecticut State University
• Maria DiMartinis, Defender, Harvard University
• Kayla Duran, Defender, Brown University*^
• Dunja Mostarac, Defender, UMass Lowell
• Kayla Thompson, Goalkeeper, Brown University*
2021 NEWISA All-New England Second Team
• Murphy Agnew, Forward, Harvard University
• Cricket Basa, Forward, University of Vermont
• Rebecca Cooke, Forward, Quinnipiac University
• Alexis Legowski, Midfielder, Northeastern University
• Jessica Mazo, Midfielder, University of Connecticut
• Selena Salas, Midfielder, Quinnipiac University
• Michela Agresit, Defender, Boston College
• Mikenna McManus, Defender, Northeastern University
• Julianna Ross, Defender, Northeastern University
• Kelly Severini, Defender, University of Hartford
• Avery Snead, Defender, Providence College
• Lydia Kessel, Goalkeeper, University of Vermont
• Amanda McQuillan, Goalkeeper, Central Connecticut State University
2021 NEWISA All-New England Third Team
• Kelly Brady, Forward, Central Connecticut State University
• Hannah Curtin, Forward, Dartmouth College
• Ioanna Papatheodorou, Forward, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Ava Seelenfreund, Forward, Brown University
• Markela Bejleri, Midfielder, Quinnipiac University
• Anna Hewlett, Midfielder, University of New Hampshire
• Chloe Laureano, Midfielder, Yale University
• Julianna Stureman, Midfielder, Boston University
• Tess Atkinson, Defender, Central Connecticut State University
• Alivia Kelly, Defender, University of New Hampshire
• Alex West, Defender, University of Vermont
• Kaitlyn Mahoney, Goalkeeper, University of Connecticut
• Cat Sheppard, Goalkeeper, University of New Hampshire
*Leading vote-getter by position
^Leading overall vote getter
