SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Roger Williams University Women's Soccer team put seven student-athletes on the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference team, including garnering three of the conference's top honors.
Mariah Kaiser (Portsmouth, R.I.) was honored as CCC Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, while
Samantha Woznicki (Bristol, Conn.) was named CCC Rookie of the Year. In addition,
Haley Carignan (Scarborough, Maine) received the honor of CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Kaiser, along with
Jessica Valenti (North Reading, Mass.) and
Kristen Casey (East Longmeadow, Mass.) were each named to the All-CCC First Team, while
Kristen Knight (Marion, Mass.) made the All-CCC Second Team. Woznick, Carignan, and
Jenna Hart (Cheshire, Conn.) each found spots on the All-CCC Third Team.
Entering the CCC Tournament, Kaiser leads the conference or is tied for the CCC lead in all major scoring categories. Her 34 total points and six game-winning goals ranks Kaiser all alone atop the CCC leaderboard, while her 13 goals scored and eight assists is tied for first in the conference. Currently, Kaiser ranks 12th among all NCAA Division III players in game-winning goals. She is a four-time All-CCC selection and last season was chosen to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America Third Team, becoming the first player in Roger Williams's women's soccer history to be named an All-American.
Woznicki, a sophomore midfielder from Bristol, Conn., has been a force for the Roger Williams backline that has given up just five goals this season. The third-team honoree has been a solid presence for Hawks at defensive midfield starting 17 of 19 games. Woznicki has been able to contribute offensively when needed, as she has collected two goals and two assists. Roger Williams has compiled an impressive 16-0-3 record this season, including 14 shutouts, and is currently ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Division III New England Regional Rankings.
Carignan, a senior captain Criminal Justice major from Scarborough, Maine, is a leading example of what it means to be a Division III student-athlete. The senior has been an offensive threat for the Hawks this season, while maintaining a 3.91 grade point average in the classroom. On the field, the third team all-conference forward started all 19 games this season contributing 18 points on eight goals and two assists. Carignan will look to lead the Roger Williams offense as they head into the CCC Tournament as the top seed. In the classroom, Carignan has earned a place on the RWU dean's list every semester while being a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and assisting in the organization of the "Pink Game" dedicated towards raising awareness and funds for breast cancer awareness and research.
Valenti has been a consistent offensive threat for the Hawks this season, tallying a career-high 23 points. She is second on the team and tied for second in the conference in goals scored with ten in addition to her three assists on the year. She is responsible for four of the Hawks' game-winning goals, including the winner as part of a hat trick in RWU's 4-0 win over UMass-Dartmouth on October 14.
Casey has been a force for the Hawks throughout the season, having started all 19 games on the year as a defensive back. Casey also serves as one of the Hawks' primary takers of the team's corner kicks. Her prowess in the corner has helped her serve up six assists on the season. Her six assists place her second on the team and tied for third in the conference.
Knight has been one of the Hawks' best defenders throughout the 2015 season. Knight has started all 19 games on the season for Roger Williams and has helped anchor a defensive backfield that has allowed only five goals all season. The team has recorded 14 shutouts on the season and has allowed only one goal in the past ten games.
Hart has emerged as one of the Hawks' strong offensive players in her third season at RWU. This season, Hart has set a new career high in goals scored with six, points scored with 15, and has tied a career high with three assists. She has tallied three game-winning goals on the year for RWU, and logged her first multi-goal game of her career with two against Nichols on October 21.
- Additional information courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference
