Five Cavaliers Garner ACC Women's Soccer Honors

Nov. 3, 2016

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Five members of the Virginia women’s soccer team garnered All-ACC recognition on Thursday when the league office announced its list of annual award winners, paced by senior midfielder Alexis Shaffer (Cary, N.C.) with two Player of the Year titles.

Shaffer was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year, while also earning All-ACC first team honors from the league’s coaches. It’s the second consecutive season to have a Virginia player selected as ACC Offensive Player of the Year as forward Makenzy Doniak claimed the honor a year ago. She is the second ACC Midfielder of the Year from Virginia in the last three seasons.

Senior defender Kristen McNabb (Montville, N.J.) earned All-ACC second-team honors, while junior forward Veronica Latsko (Venetia, Pa.) and freshman forward Alissa Gorzak (Naperville, Ill.) earned All-ACC third team recognition. Gorzak was joined by freshman midfielder Zoe Morse (East Lansing, Mich.) in selection to the ACC All-Freshman team.

Shaffer earned Offensive Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year honors after tallying a team-leading 11 goals on the season and six assists for a total of 28 points. She has a pair of game-winning goals on the season, hitting the go-ahead goal at No. 20 Notre Dame and against Michigan State. Shaffer has 98 career points, 35 career goals and 28 career assists, moving her into seventh all-time at Virginia in points and tied for eighth in goals and assists.

McNabb helps anchor a Cavalier defense that has posted 10 shutout victories this season and set the school record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal at 976 minutes. McNabb scored two goals in a win over No. 17 Virginia Tech this season, earning ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors as she helped lead Virginia to the 2-0 victory. McNabb also hit the game-winning goal against Boston College.

Latsko, a third-team selection, has eight goals this season, including four game-winners to lead Virginia in that category. She hit the game-winner against George Mason, Old Dominion to go along with a hat trick, Oklahoma and at Louisville. While Gorzak, a third-team and All-Freshman selection, tallied a goal and four assists, including the assist on the game-winner against Pitt.

Morse joined Gorzak on the All-Freshman team after starting all 18 games in which she played, notching two goals and playing 1,292 minutes – the fourth most by a Virginia player to date. Morse notched her goals against Old Dominion and at Miami.

Offensive Player of the Year: Alexis Shaffer, Sr., M, Virginia
Defensive Player of the Year: Christina Gibbons, Sr., D, Duke
Midfielder of the Year: Alexis Shaffer, Sr., M, Virginia
Freshman of the Year: Bridgette Andrzejewski, Fr., F, North Carolina
Coach of the Year: Eddie Radwanski, Clemson

First Team
McKenzie Meehan, GS, F, Boston College
Catrina Atanda, Sr., M, Clemson
Kailen Sheridan, Sr., GK, Clemson
Christina Gibbons, Sr., D, Duke
Toni Payne, Sr., F, Duke
Kirsten Crowley, Sr., D, Florida State
Gracie Lachowecki, Sr., F, Miami
Bridgette Andrzejewski Fr., F, North Carolina
Kaleigh Olmsted, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Alexis Shaffer, Sr., M, Virginia
Murielle Tiernan, Sr., F, Virginia Tech

Second Team
Hayley Dowd, Sr., F, Boston College
Sam Staab, So., D, Clemson
Imani Dorsey, Jr., F, Duke
Deyna Castellanos, Fr., F, Florida State
Megan Connolly, So, M, Florida State
Natalia Kuikka, So., D, Florida State
Cassie Miller, Jr., GK, Florida State
Megan Buckingham, Jr., M, North Carolina
Jennifer Westendorf, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Kristen McNabb , GS, D, Virginia
Sarah Teegarden, Sr., M, Wake Forest

Third Team
Claire Wagner, Sr., D, Clemson
Ella Stevens, Fr., M, Duke
Emma Koivisto, Jr., D, Florida State
Gabrielle Vincent, So., M, Louisville
Tziarra King, Fr., M, NC State
Taylor Klawunder, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Kaela Little, Sr., GK, Notre Dame
Sandra Yu, Sr., M, Notre Dame
Alissa Gorzak, Fr., F, Virginia
Veronica Latsko, Jr., F, Virginia
Candace Cephers, Sr., M, Virginia Tech

All-Freshman Team
Ella Stevens, Fr., M, Duke
Malia Berkely, Fr., D, Florida State
Deyna Castellanos, Fr., F, Florida State
Kristen McFarland, Fr., F, Florida State
Kristina Fisher, Fr., M, Miami
Bridgette Andrzejewski, Fr., F, North Carolina
Tziarra King, Fr., M, NC State
Kia Rankin, Fr., F, NC State
Jennifer Westendorf, Fr., M, Notre Dame
Alissa Gorzak, Fr, F, Virginia
Zoe Morse, Fr., M, Virginia