CAMBRIDGE, MA. – The NECC announced its 2019 Women's Soccer All-Conference teams and major award winners on Friday afternoon. The awards were voted on by the conference's eight coaches following the conclusion of the regular season. Seven of the conference schools are represented on the all-conference teams, with Lesley leading the way with seven honorees. Lesley, Becker College and Elms College each took home a major award.
Becker forward Kyra Teixeira (Old Lyme, Conn.) was voted the 2019 NECC Player of the Year, while Elms' Rebecca Molin (West Hartford, Conn.) was named Goalkeeper of the Year. New England College's Kayla Paquin (Pembroke, N.H.) earned Rookie of the Year honors. Lesley head coach Paul Vasconcelos was voted Coach of the Year by his peers.
Five Lynx were named First Team All-NECC. Claire Hounslow got the nod as one of the three forward spots. Hounslow scored seven goals on the season, tying her for the team lead and for fifth in the NECC. Hounslow also had three assists on the season to give her a total of 17 points. Maddy Dietrick and Julia Cohn were named as midfielders on the team. Dietrick scored a career high four goals this season, while adding one assist. Cohn started a career high thirteen games in her junior season, scoring two goals and assisting on three. Kerrie Larson and Sophie Smurthwaite were named as defenders on the team. Larson was superb as Lesley's corner taker, totaling six assists on the season and scoring two goals of her own. Smurthwaite had one assist on the season and played consistently tough defense, contributing to a group that only allowed eleven goals all season.
Chloe Kouyoumdjian and Alexandria Torres represented the Lynx on the Second Team. Kouyoumdjian tied for the team lead in points with Hounslow with 17 and was one step behind in goals, scoring six. She added five assists and two of her goals were game-winners. Torres only staretd eight of the sixteen games she appeared in, but made a dominant mark whenever she was on the field. She scored seven goals and had an assist on the season, tying her with Hounslow for the team lead and fifth in the conference. Torres had a hat trick this season, scoring three times against Dean College.
The Lesley representative on the Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team is keeper Remme Hasley. Hasley was always a positive presence for the Lynx, whether it be in net or on the sidelines. Hasley played six games this season and did not allow a goal, going 4-0 and saving nine shots as a backup goalie. She also had an opportunity to play the field, taking three shots in her one appearance as a forward.
In his twelfth season, Coach of the Year Vasconcelos led the Lynx to 6-1-0 regular season conference record, and the top seed in the NECC Women's Soccer Championship. His team was the top offensive squad in the league, as the Lynx scored 31 conference goals, more than double the next team. This is his ninth NECC Coach of the Year award, and third consecutive accolade (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018).
First Team All-NECC
F – Kyra Teixeira, Becker (Sr., Old Lyme, Conn.)
F – Claire Hounslow, Lesley (So., Westborough, Mass.)
F – Kayla Paquin, New England Col. (Fr., Pembroke, N.H.)
M – Alizaya Clark, Elms (Sr., Springfield, Mass.)
M – Kayla Pasquel, Elms (Fr., North Attleboro, Mass.)
M – Maddie Deitrick, Lesley (Jr., Burnet, Texas)
M – Julia Cohn, Lesley (Jr., Farmington, Conn.)
D – Haley Richard, Elms (Sr., Monson, Mass.)
D – Kerrie Larson, Lesley (So., Bristol, R.I.)
D – Sophie Smurthwaite, Lesley (So., Woodland Hills, Calif.)
GK – Rebecca Molin, Elms (Sr., West Hartford, Conn.)
Second Team All-NECC
F- Miranda Seacord, Dean (So., Cambridge, N.Y.)
F- Chloe Kouyoumdjian, Lesley (So., La Canada, Calif.)
F- Alexandria Torres, Lesley (Jr., Dixon, Calif.)
M- Kristen Beidleman, Becker (So., Holliston, Mass.)
M- Sam Bernardi, Eastern Nazarene (Jr., Longmeadow, Mass.)
M- Lindsey Fairbank, Mitchell (Jr., Newington, Conn.)
M- Leann Demirjian, New England Col. (Jr., Needham, Mass.)
D – Madison Bernard, Elms (Sr., Chicopee, Mass.)
D – Maider Ruiz de Erenchun, Eastern Nazarene (So., Acosta, Alava, Spain)
D – Madison Wheeler, New England Col. (Fr., Benton City, Wash.)
GK – Griselda Minchaca, Eastern Nazarene (Sr., Whittier, Calif.)
Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team
Jennifer Wilson, Bay Path (Jr., Tolland, Conn.)
Olivia Sherwood, Becker (Fr., Southington, Conn.)
Molly Rockett, Dean (Fr., Roslindale, Mass.)
Michaela Connors, Eastern Nazarene (Sr., Norwell, Mass.)
Sam Manchino, Elms (Jr., Chicopee, Mass.)
Remington Hasley, Lesley (So., San Diego, Calif.)
Mariah Travisano, Mitchell (Fr., Putnam, Conn.)
Paytne Walker, New England Col. (Sr., Hillsboro, N.H.)
ABOUT THE NECC
The NECC began competition in the 2008-09 academic year and current member institutions compete across 15 sports. The NECC membership focuses on providing athletic competition among institutions that share similar academic aspirations and are committed to the importance of the total educational experience for students engaged in sports. Current members include Bay Path University, Becker College, Dean College, Eastern Nazarene College, Elms College, Lesley University, Mitchell College and New England College.