NEW HAVEN - Begum Malali, a senior forward from Wilmington University, has claimed Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women's Soccer Player of the Year honors in balloting released today. Wilmington freshman forward Kirsten Stallone has garnered Rookie of the Year honors, while Holy Family University Head Coach Mike Biddle was voted Coach of the Year. Conference newcomer, Chestnut Hill College, was given the annual Team Sportsmanship Award. The 12 conference head coaches conducted the voting for the awards.
Malali, who has earned first team All-CACC accolades for four straight years, led the conference in points (58), goals (26) and game-winning goals (11) this season. Her point and goal totals are CACC single-season records. Malali, who hails from Galloway, NJ, has scored 22 more points and 12 more goals than any other player in the conference. She also stands 10th in the CACC with six assists. She was named the CACC Player of the Week twice during the season.
Stallone made an immediate impact for the Wildcats in her freshman campaign and ranks second in the conference in points (36), sixth in goals (12) and tied for first with 12 assists. She was named CACC Rookie of the Week once during the season. Stallone recorded the most points and goals in a single game in the conference this season with four goals and nine points against St. Thomas Aquinas on August 29th. It was just her second collegiate game.
Coach Mike Biddle led Holy Family to the CACC regular-season championship with a perfect 11-0 record. The Tigers enter the CACC Tournament as the top seed with an overall mark of
11-7. The Tigers scored the most goals in conference play this season with 42, while allowing only four, which tied for the conference lead.
The complete 2007 All-CACC Women's Soccer team is listed on the following page. Holy Family and Philadelphia University each had four players named to the first or second team, including three on the first team. Three players from Georgian Court University earned All-CACC accolades.
2007 All-CACC Women's Soccer Team
FIRST TEAM
GK Sara Hall Philadelphia Jr. Newark, DE
D Michele Petruzzi Philadelphia Sr. Mount Laurel, NJ
D Jenn Hamill Holy Family Sr. Philadelphia, PA
D Kelsey Abelein Georgian Court Fr. Rochester, NY
M Nicole Mateyka Georgian Court So. Old Bridge, NJ
M Ashley Antczak Holy Family So. Westville, NJ
M Nicole Keiser Nyack Sr. Forked River, NJ
M Lindsey Petry Felician Jr. Newton, NJ
F Begum Malali Wilmington Sr. Galloway, NJ
F Kaitlin Gavaghan Holy Family Sr. Philadelphia, PA
F Brianna Reinford Philadelphia Sr. Gilbertsville, PA
SECOND TEAM
GK Lindsay Hammond Georgian Court So. Brunswick, ME
D Leah Froncek Holy Family Sr. Philadelphia, PA
D Michelle Giuca Bloomfield Sr. North Bergen, NJ
D Cari Schenkel Philadelphia So. Pitman, NJ
M Kristee Paknis Caldwell Jr. Whiting, NJ
M Carla Bleiler Caldwell Sr. Galloway, NJ
M Maria Krug Post Sr. Norwich, CT
F Marie LaMaida Dominican Jr. New Hyde Park, NY
F Alisha Smith Nyack Fr. Irvine, CA
F Missy Torzewski Bloomfield Fr. Glen Gardner, NJ
F Kirsten Stallone Wilmington Fr. Elkton, MD
Honorable Mention: Caitlin Robinson, Jr., D, Wilmington; Kim Fenton, Jr., D, Caldwell; Kelly Spross, Fr., M, Holy Family; Amy Van Blarcom, Fr, F, Georgian Court; Rebecca Kennedy, Jr., M, Philadelphia
Player of The Year: Begum Malali, Sr., F, Wilmington
Rookie of the Year: Kirsten Stallone, Fr., F, Wilmington
Coach of the Year: Mike Biddle, Holy Family
Team Sportsmanship Award: Chestnut Hill College