OUA ANNOUNCES 2013 EAST DIVISION WOMEN'S SOCCER MAJOR AWARDS AND ALL-STARS
The Ottawa Gee-Gees followed up on their banner winning 2012 campaign with a stellar regular season in 2013. The Gee-Gees played to a 12-1-3 record for top spot in the east and spent six weeks atop the national rankings. The squad names two major award winners and six all-stars to their roster.
Ottawa’s Julia Francki (Orleans, Ont.) takes home the east divison player of the year award. The third-year midfielder finished the regular season sixth in team scoring with five goals. This is the second first team honour for the speedy winger after being named an all-star in 2012. Francki’s win marks the second consecutive season that the MVP has donned a uOttawa jersey.
RMC’s Alex Hogg is the OUA east division rookie of the year. The first-year goalkeeper saw a lot of action for the 2-10-4 Paladins. An Ottawa native, Hogg turned aside 44 shots and registered an 80% save percentage in 13 games played. She logged seven starts. Hogg’s rookie win marks the first for a member of the Paladins women’s soccer program.
Ottawa’s Steve Johnson is the OUA east division coach of the year for the second consecutive season. Johnson has been at the helm of the Gee-Gees women’s soccer program since 1994, when he founded the team. He has led the Gee-Gees to 12 CIS championship tournament appearances. This is Johnson’s fifth OUA coach of the year award, having won in 2005, 1996 and 1994. He was recognized by the CIS in 1996 and 2005 as coach of the year.
Toronto midfielder Caroline Murphy (Stoughville, Ont.) won the 2013 Community Service award for her outstanding and tireless work in the community. Between training on the pitch and earning her degree in Toronto’s challenging Architecture program, Murphy puts a passon for the arts to good use and actively volunteers at the Royal Ontario Museum and the Varley Art Gallery. Murphy is a tireless athlete, a selfless team mate and a role model for her peers at U of T.
In addition to MVP and coach of the year, Ottawa sent a division high six players to the OUA east all-star teams. Third-year goalkeeper Cynthia Leblanc of Granby, Que., fourth-year defender Chiara Quadri of White Rock, B.C., and third-year striker Pilar Khoury of Ottawa joined Francki on the OUA east first all-star team. Khoury finished second in league scoring with 14 goals. Seniors Corina Jarrett and Krista Draycott, both Ottawa natives, were named to the second team at midfield and striker, respectively.
The Toronto Varsity Blues sent five players to the all-star team in 2013, the second most in the east division. Fifth-year defender Diana Esteireiro (Etobicoke, Ont.) earned her third consecutive all-star honour and improved upon her second team status from a year ago. Third-year midfielder Olivia Gonsalves of Scarborough, Ont., and fourth-year striker Aisha Lewis from Mississauga, Ont. were both named to the first team. Lewis led the 10-3-3 Blues with 9 goals in 16 games. Fourth-year defender Fatima Braimoh (London, Ont.) and rookie midfielder Claudia Piazza (Brampton, Ont.) are both second team all-stars. It marks the second consecutive all-star honour for Braimoh.
The Carleton Ravens are off to the Final Four and boast four all-stars to their roster. Senior defender Briana De Souza (Toronto) is a first team all-star for the third season in a row. She is joined by third-year midfielder Veronica Mazella (Sudbury, Ont.) and third-year striker Adrianna Ruggiero (Markham, Ont.). The offensive pair combined for nine goals for the 9-3-4 Ravens. Third-year midfielder Nicole Filipow (Edmonton, Alta.) tallied six goals and is a second team all-star.
OUA east perennial powerhouse Queen’s Gaels faltered through the regular season, finishing in fourth place with a 7-2-7 record, before going 2-0 in the OUA playoffs and upsetting the then No. 1 ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees. The Gaels are rewarded for their efforts with four players named to the all-star roster. Fifth-year striker and 2011 east division player of the year Riley Filion (Alexandria, Ont.) is the lone Gael on the OUA east first team. Filion notched six goals to tie for the team lead in scoring. The Gaels name a pair of defenders on the OUA second team in rookie Micah Vermeer (Grimsby, Ont.) and fourth-year Melissa Jung (Mississauga, Ont.). Crafty midfielder Alexis McKinty (Burlington, Ont.) rounds out her career as a second team all-star for the second season in as many years.
The fifth-place Laurentian Voyageurs sent two athletes to the all-star teams in 2013. Fifth-year defender Amy-Lynn Pitton (Brampton, Ont.) scored a career-high three goals for the Voyageurs. It is her fourth all-star honour. Third-year goalkeeper Richele Greenwood (Mississauga, Ont.) logged 47 saves in 12 games played. The Mississauga, Ont. native recorded a 86% save percentage.
Nipissing’s Renee Clark (Thunder Bay, Ont.) represents the Lakers on the OUA east second team. The first-year defender tallied three markers for the sixth-place Lakers. Clark’s all-star nod marks the first for the program since 2010.
OUA EAST DIVISION MAJOR AWARDS AND ALL-STARS
East Division MVP
Julia Francki - Ottawa
East Division Rookie of the year, presented by Big Kahuna
Alex Hogg - RMC
East Division Community Service Award
Caroline Murphy - Toronto
East Division Coach of the Year
Steve Johnson - Ottawa
OUA EAST DIVISION FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Goalkeeper Cynthia Leblanc - Ottawa
Defender Diana Esteireiro - Toronto
Defender Briana De Souza - Carleton
Defender Chiara Quadri - Ottawa
Defender Amy-Lynn Pitton - Laurentian
Midfielder Julia Francki - Ottawa
Midfielder Olivia Gonsalves - Toronto
Midfielder Riley Filion - Queen's
Midfielder Veronica Mazella - Carleton
Striker Pilar Khoury - Ottawa
Striker Aisha Lewis - Toronto
OUA EAST DIVISION SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Goalkeeper Richele Greenwood - Laurentian
Defender Micah Vermeer - Queen's
Defender Melissa Jung - Queen's
Defender Renee Clark - Nipissing
Defender Fatima Braimoh - Toronto
Midfielder Corina Jarrett - Ottawa
Midfielder Alexis McKinty - Queen's
Midfielder Nicole Filipow - Carleton
Midfielder Claudia Piazza - Toronto
Striker Adrianna Ruggiero - Carleton
Striker Krista Draycott - Ottawa