St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Dominates BIG EAST Awards
11/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
QUEENS, N.Y. - Following the program's first-ever BIG EAST Regular Season Championship, the St. John's women's soccer team has pulled in the best haul of postseason accolades in school history, taking home four of the conference's six major awards.
Rachel Daly has been named the unanimous BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Georgia Kearney-Perry is the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Diana Poulin is the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and Ian Stone leads the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
Daly, Kearney-Perry and Poulin were also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. All three student-athletes are making an appearance on the all-conference first team for at least the second-straight season. Daly and Kearney-Perry were unanimous selections to the team, the only two players in the conference to garner the distinction.
Staking claim to four of the conference's six major postseason awards, the Red Storm has tied a BIG EAST record for the most accolades received by a single program in a given year. The only other team in conference history to take home four trophies in one season is Notre Dame, who accomplished the feat twice in 2005 and 2008.
For the second-consecutive year, senior midfielder Emily Cubbage has found a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
In addition, Anna Maria Baldursdottir and Lucy Whipp have been named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman team. Whipp earned unanimous selection from the league's coaches.
Daly, Kearney-Perry and Poulin are all earning their awards for the second time in their illustrious careers, while Kearney-Perry and Poulin have now garnered the honors in each of the past two seasons. The duo becomes the first pair of teammates to repeat as major award winners in consecutive years since 1995-96, when Kerry Connors and Sara Whelan of Connecticut accomplished the feat.
Stone, the all-time winningest coach in St. John's history, has been named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the second time in his 22-year tenure in Queens. This season, his team has surpassed lofty expectations, winning a school-record 15 games and claiming the program's first BIG EAST Regular Season title. The Red Storm has also broken program marks for shutouts in a season with 12 and ranks among the nation's best in a number of categories. St. John's, through games played on Nov. 2, sits at 10th in the country in goals against average (0.49) and fifth in shutout percentage (.667).
Stone's staff of assistants takes home the conference's highest honor despite this being just the first year for all members in their current positions. Jen Leaverton, Taylor Wilson, Amy Marron and Stephan Rigaud all joined the staff prior to start of the 2015 season and have been essential parts in the most successful campaign in program history.
Daly earns her third career BIG EAST postseason award following one of the finest seasons in St. John's women's soccer history. The 2013 BIG EAST Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year, Daly has recorded 19 goals in 18 games this season, good enough for second in the NCAA and first against Division I opponents. A First Team All-BIG EAST selection in both 2013 and 2014, Daly has netted 12 of her 19 goals during BIG EAST action and has put up five multi-goal games on the year, including her third career hat trick against Creighton on Oct. 11. Of those 19 goals, nine have been game-winners, the second-highest individual total in the NCAA.
Daly broke the St. John's career records for goals (50) and points (110) 12 games into the season and has not looked back, becoming just the second player in the history of St. John's soccer, men's or women's to reach the half-century mark. Huey Ferguson, a two-time All-American and BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, recorded 50 goals for the men's side from 1991-94; Daly has reached that same milestone in just three seasons.
Kearney-Perry earns BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second-straight season after solidifying St. John's reputation as one of the most feared defensive units in the nation. This year, the Red Storm has compiled a goals against average of just 0.49 through 18 games, good enough for 10th in the nation and on pace to lower the current program record of 0.59. In addition, Kearney-Perry has been an integral part of the Red Storm's 12 shutouts, a total that shattered the previous school record of 10. A proven leader on and off the pitch, Kearney-Perry has also made her presence felt on offense this season, placing a perfect pass to Daly for the first assist of her career against Villanova.
Poulin, a junior from Hauppauge, N.Y., has been named the conference's top keeper for the second season in a row, helping the Red Storm compile the league's best goals against numbers in terms of total (nine) and average (0.49). The owner of six solo shutouts and five combined clean sheets with graduate student Katie DeVault, Poulin has registered a record of 8-2-1 this season, propelling her into second place on the St. John's career wins list (31). Her next victory will tie her for first place with Kristin Russell (2008-11) on that index. Poulin also ranks second on the St. John's career shutouts list with 20.
Cubbage, one of the unsung heroes on this record-breaking Red Storm squad, has found a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team for the second time in as many years. This season, the Rio Rancho, N.M., native has tied a career high with three goals and two assists, in addition to providing unquestioned leadership and an inimitable toughness on the pitch. The senior midfielder has played and started in all 76 matches for the Red Storm during her four-year tenure.
Despite the team's upperclassmen garnering a majority of the attention this season, a pair of rookies has been recognized for their efforts with selection to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Whipp, a unanimous selection to the all-freshman team, ranked fifth on the Red Storm in points this season, tallying two goals and three assists for seven points. Making starts in 17 of 18 contests, Whipp has played with maturity well beyond her years and has been a key reason for the Red Storm's success. Baldursdottir, who has also started 17 of 18 matches for Coach Stone, has been a standout contributor to a veteran defensive unit that has recorded a school-record 12 shutouts on the year so far. The Icelandic National Team product has also contributed on the offensive end, registering a pair of assists.
The Red Storm will begin BIG EAST Tournament play on Friday, Nov. 6, against the winner of this evening's match between Butler and Marquette. First kick is set for 5:30 p.m. ET.
