TRIBE'S ZIMMECK HEADLINES PRE-SEASON ALL-CAA WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM
RICHMOND, Va. (August 19, 2008) ? William & Mary senior forward Claire Zimmeck, who has earned CAA women’s soccer Player of the Year honors for the past two seasons, has been selected as the conference’s 2008 pre-season Player of the Year in voting by the league’s head coaches.
Zimmeck received third team All-America accolades from the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz in 2007 and was also a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top collegiate player. She led the CAA in goals (17), game-winning goals (10) and points (34) last season and is already ranked eighth on the CAA’s career goals list with 42. Zimmeck is attempting to become the first three-time women’s soccer Player of the Year in league history.
Joining Zimmeck at forward on the pre-season All-CAA women’s soccer team are Delaware junior Caitlyn Germain, James Madison sophomore Cate Tisinger and Old Dominion senior Katie Watson. Germain scored seven goals for the Blue Hens in 2007 and made the All-CAA second team. Tisinger was the CAA Rookie of the Year and a 2nd team All-CAA pick after tallying nine goals and 10 assists. Watson missed last season due to injury, but contributed 13 goals and seven assists in 2006 and was 1st team All-CAA selection.
The four pre-season All-CAA midfielders were each named to the All-CAA first team in 2007 - William and Mary senior Dani Collins, James Madison senior Kim Germain, Hofstra senior Edel Malone and UNC Wilmington senior Kelly Renkin. Collins (4 goals, 2 assists) and Germain (4 goals, 2 assists) both earned 3rd team All-America honors from the NSCAA last season. Malone (8 goals, 4 assists) scored the game-winning goal for Hofstra in the 2007 CAA championship game. Renkin (10 goals, 4 assists) has been a member of the All-CAA first team for the past two years.
Named to the pre-season all-conference squad on defense are Hofstra senior Marie Curtin, William & Mary sophomore Kaitlin O’Connor, VCU senior Samara Stephen-Dowd and James Madison junior Caitlin Walko. Curtin (5 goals, 6 assists) missed last season due to injury, but made the All-CAA second team in 2006. O’Connor (3 goals, 1 assist) earned 1st team All-CAA honors as a freshman, while Stephen-Dowd (1 goal, 1 assist) and Walko were selected to the All-CAA second team last year.
At goalkeeper is William & Mary senior Meghan Walker, who was a 2nd team All-CAA selection last season after leading the conference with a 0.50 GAA while recording 11 shutouts.
The 2008 CAA women’s soccer season gets underway on Friday.
2008 PRE-SEASON ALL-CAA WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Caitlyn Germain, Delaware F Jr. Auburn, Mass.
Cate Tisinger, James Madison F So. Clifton, Va.
Katie Watson, Old Dominion F Sr. Woodbridge, Va.
Claire Zimmeck, William and Mary F Sr. Fairfax, Va.
Dani Collins, William and Mary MF Sr. Cream Ridge, N.J.
Kim Germain, James Madison MF Sr. McLean, Va.
Edel Malone, Hofstra MF Sr. Ennis, Ireland
Kelly Renkin, UNC Wilmington MF Sr. Midlothian, Va.
Marie Curtin, Hofstra D Sr. Kilmallock, Ireland
Kaitlin O’Connor, William & Mary D So. Chantilly, Va.
Samara Stephen-Dowd, VCU D Sr. Vienna, Va.
Caitlin Walko, James Madison D Jr. Vienna, Va.
Meghan Walker, William & Mary GK Sr. Wallingford, Pa.
PRE-SEASON CAA WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Claire Zimmeck, William and Mary