SJC's DaGraca Voted GNAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SJC, Emmanuel each claim
two major individual awards

WINTHROP, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College of Maine senior forward Haley DaGraca has been selected as the 2018 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, as voted upon by the league's head coaches. The GNAC office unveiled its annual all-conference teams on Monday.

DaGraca was also named the 2018 GNAC Tournament MVP on Sunday as the Monks won their first GNAC title in program history, downing Lasell College on the road, 1-0, to end the Lasers' streak of eight straight GNAC crowns. Also chosen as the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, she led the GNAC in both goals (19) and points (44) this season as the Monks now prepare for the NCAA Tournament under head coach Jenelle Harris, who was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year by her peers.

For the complete All-Conference and All-Sportsmanship selections, please see below.

While Saint Joe's led the way with six All-Conference selections, Emmanuel was just off the pace with five – all of whom were voted to the 2018 All-GNAC First Team in junior forward Natalie Dash, senior midfielders Kayla Generis and Mikayla Guthrie, junior back Kaylin Deschanes, and senior goalkeeper Lexi Gawron.

Deschanes was selected as the league's Defensive Player of the Year in front of Gawron, who as the First Team goalkeeper selection received Goalkeeper of the Year honors, as well. She led the GNAC in both save percentage (.855) and goals-against average (0.68) for the Saints.

Offensively, Guthrie was second among GNAC leaders in points (35), third in goals (14) and third in assists (7), while Dash and Generis both registered 26 points this fall.  

Johnson & Wales University (RI) freshman forward Jordan Restivo, an All-GNAC Second Team selection, was named the 2018 GNAC Rookie of the Year as she was tied for fourth among league leaders with 28 points on 11 goals and six assists. Also from JWU, junior back Kayla Juliana represented the Wildcats on the First Team.

Longtime GNAC powerhouse Lasell had five All-Conference selections overall and three on the First Team: senior forward Carly Zdanek, senior midfielder Erika Badger and senior back Sabrina Morais. Zdanek had 10 goals and five helpers, while Badger had nine goals and three assists.

First Team
F – Natalie Dash, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr., East Hampton, Conn.)
F – Carly Zdanek, Lasell (Sr., Newton, N.J.)
F – Haley DaGraca, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Sr., Saco, Maine)
M – Kayla Generis, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr., Wethersfield, Conn.)
M – Mikayla Guthrie, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr., North Andover, Mass.)
M – Olivia Cairrao, Johnson & Wales (RI) (So., Bristol, R.I.)
M – Erika Badger, Lasell (Sr., Scituate, Mass.)
B – Kaylin Deschenes, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr., Lynn, Mass.)
B – Kayla Juliana, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., Freehold, N.J.)
B – Sabrina Morais, Lasell (Sr., Arlington, Mass.)
GK – Lexi Gawron, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr., South Hadley, Mass.)

Second Team
F – Hannah Fields, Colby-Sawyer (Sr., Shapleigh, Maine)
F – Jordan Restivo, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Fr., Utica, N.Y.)
F – Kaylee Francis, Regis (Mass.) (Fr., Millis, Mass.)
M – Amanda Martin, Colby-Sawyer (Sr., Amesbury, Mass.)
M – Morgan Pinksten, Lasell (Sr., Pelham, N.H.)
M – Jade Jordan, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Jr., Baldwin, Maine)
M – Ciara Forde, Simmons (Sr., Quincy, Mass.)
B – Kali Trunca, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., Litchfield, N.H.)
B – Jenna Banta, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Fr., Montville, Conn.)
B – Skye Murray, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Sr., Dayton, Maine)
GK – Adia Grogan, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Fr., Kennebunk, Maine)

Third Team
F – Haley Andrews, Albertus Magnus (Fr., Prospect, Conn.)
F – Deja Hursey, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., Columbia, Md.)
F – Colleen Sheehan, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Sr., Medway, Mass.)
M – Abbie Sansoucy, Colby-Sawyer (Sr., Douglas, Mass.)
M – Molly McCormack, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Jr., Livingston, N.J.)
M – Rachel Kelly, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., Whitman, Mass.)
M – McKenzie Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (So., West Baldwin, Maine)
B – Morgan Keene, Colby-Sawyer (Sr., Barre, Vt.)
B – Korynne Provenzano, Lasell (So., Stratham, N.H.)
B – Mallory Cottam, Simmons (Sr., Hope, R.I.)
GK – Oriana Attridge, Regis (Mass.) (Fr., Westwood, Mass.)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Haley DaGraca, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Kaylin Deschenes, Emmanuel (Mass.)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR – Lexi Gawron, Emmanuel (Mass.)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Jordan Restivo, Johnson & Wales (RI)
COACH OF THE YEAR – Jenelle Harris, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INSTITUTIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD – Anna Maria College

ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Meghan Lendroth, Albertus Magnus (So., East Haven, Conn.)
Courtney Hile, Anna Maria (Fr., Elliottsburg, Pa.)
Amanda Martin, Colby Sawyer (Sr.,  Amesbury, Mass.)
Emma Johnson, Emmanuel (Mass.) (So. Ellington, Conn.)
Danielle Barone, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., Staten Island, N.Y.)
Sabrina Morais, Lasell (Sr., Arlington, Mass.)
Mary-Kait Mace, Norwich (Jr., Canton, N.Y.)
Erin Filetti, Regis (Mass.) (Newburyport, Mass.)
Carley Bostwick, Rivier (So., Lowell, Mass.)
Amanda Ghent, Saint Joseph (Conn.) (Sr., Portland, Conn.)
Angela Valenti, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Sr., Litchfield, N.H.)
Kristen Mihalich, Simmons (Jr., East Rockaway, N.Y.)
Emerson Wildes, Suffolk (Jr., Dudley, Mass.)

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –