Bridgeport Women's Soccer Earns Top Spot In 2012 ECC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Junior Goalkeeper Julia Hansson Named Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Central Islip, N.Y. – After one of the best seasons in program history in 2011, the University of Bridgeport takes home the top in the 2012 East Coast Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the conference's coaches. Junior midfielder Allison Sloper (Williston Park, N.Y.) from Molloy has been tabbed the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Bridgeport's junior goalkeeper Julia Hansson (Tocksfors, Sweden) was voted the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
With 18 players returning to a team that spent six weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Bridgeport grabbed five first place votes to finish with 74 points and the top spot in the ECC preseason rankings. The Purple Knights, who finished with an unbeaten 16-0-2 record in 2011, look to make their sixth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Bridgeport also has already been recognized for the 2012 season, starting the year No. 12 in the NSCAA's Preseason Top 25 poll.
After capturing their first ever ECC title last season, Dowling College had one first place vote to finish with 68 points and the second spot in the poll. LIU Post came in four points behind Dowling at 64, while also receiving a first place vote to finish in third. Queens and Mercy also received first place votes, with one apiece.
Sloper earns the top offensive honor after a 2011 season where she earned a First Team spot on the ECC All-Conference and Daktronics All-Region lists. She was also a NSCAA Third Team All-Region selection after scoring 12 goals and dished off six assists for 30 points for Molloy.
Hansson is awarded the Defensive Player of the Year honor after being named the ECC's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2011. Hansson's honors did not end there. She was also named to the NSCAA and Daktronics First Team All-East Region squad, and later earned the highest honor of First Team All-America by Daktronics. In 2011, Hansson put together a 16-0-2 record in net for the Purple Knights, with a 0.27 goals against average, .955 save percentage, 106 saves, and 13 shutouts. Her save percentage and goals against average led all of Division II.
2012 ECC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
School Pts. 2011 Record
1. Bridgeport (5) 74 16-0-2
2. Dowling (1) 68 13-5-3
3. LIU Post (1) 64 9-5-2
4. Molloy 53 9-9-1
5. Queens (1) 44 7-7-1
6. Mercy (1) 34 3-13
7. Roberts Wesleyan 31 10-10-1
8. NYIT 24 7-10
9. St. Thomas Aquinas 13 2-11-2
( ) – first place votes
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