Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams Announced

Amherst’s Poor Named Player of the Year

HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior midfielder Catherine Poor of conference champion Amherst was named the 2001 NESCAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Year. Poor, a three-time all-region performer, led the team in scoring and ranks second in career goals on the all-time school scoring list. She earned first-team all-conference honors in 2000 despite being limited with an injury.

Poor was joined on the first team by teammate Katharine Shipley, a junior back who anchored the Jeffs’ defense that allowed the fewest goals in conference play.

Junior striker Meg Bonney and senior back Ellie Wendell of Middlebury each received first-team All-NESCAC honors for the third consecutive year. Bonney, the 2000 NESCAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Year, is the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer. Wendell is the team captain and defensive leader.

Two players from Williams, which finished the regular season undefeated, were named to the first team. Junior forward Stacey Starner led the Ephs in scoring and junior back Colleen Doody anchored the defense that yielded just 11 goals in 13 regular season contests.

Freshman midfielder Christa Thoeresz of Connecticut College earned first-team honors and was named the 2001 NESCAC Rookie of the Year. She scored six goals and finished with 14 points.

Two players joined Poor and Wendell as the only seniors named to the first team. Senior goalkeeper Ella Naef of Wesleyan received first-team recognition after finishing the season with 181 saves and a .913 save percentage in her last six games. Senior midfielder Alison Lavoie of Bowdoin scored five goals, including two game-winners, and totaled 15 points.

Rounding out the first-team selections were junior forward Leah Cumsky-Whitlock of Middlebury and junior midfielder Krissie Whiting of Bates. Cumsky-Whitlock led the NESCAC in scoring, while Whiting scored game-winning goals in two conference wins for the Bobcats.

Lisa Melendy of Williams was named 2001 NESCAC Coach of the Year for leading the Ephs to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the 2001 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship tournament.