Central Islip, N.Y. – Four of the five East Coast Conference women's soccer All-Conference major awards have been awarded to student-athletes from the University of Bridgeport, the ECC regular and post-season champions. Nicola Worthington (Chorley, England) earns the Defensive Player of the Year honor, while freshmen teammates Jennifer Wendelius (Lidingo, Sweden) and Jess Laszlo (Stamford, Conn.), earned the Goalkeeper and Rookie of the Year awards, respectively. Bridgeport head coach, Magnus Nilerud, was also named the Coach of the Year by his peers. Roberts Wesleyan standout, Bella Mitrevski (Rochester, N.Y.) rounds out the conference's major award winers, by being named the Offensive Player of the Year.
Mitrevski, a junior midfielder, was an offensive force in helping Roberts Wesleyan to their first ever ECC Championship appearance. She ranked third in the conference with 16 goals and second with eight assists. Her point total of 40 was also good for third in the ECC. Mitrevski stepped her game up during the ECC portion of the Redhawks schedule, finishing tied first in conference play with 10 goals. The three-time ECC Offensive Player of the Week was also one of the top scorers in all of Division II. She ranked 12th nationally with 2.35 points per game and her point total was good for 13th. Mitrevski also finished the regular season in the top-25 in Division II with 0.94 goals per game (17th), 0.47 assists per game (21st), and her goal total was good for 15th, as well.
Worthington was the anchor for one of the best defenses in the country, starting 17 games for a Purple Knights squad that allowed a conference-low seven goals on the season. Worthington helped Bridgeport rank in the top-10 in all of Division II with a 0.38 goals against average and a shutout percentage of .722.
Wendelius was another key cog in the Purple Knights' defense. She finished with a 13-1-1 mark in the regular season and was near the top of the ECC leader board in all statistical categories. She topped the conference and ranked 10th nationally with a 0.43 goals against average, and also was first in the ECC with an .838 save percentage.
The Purple Knights were a force offensively, as well, with their attack being led by the conference's Rookie of the Year, Laszlo. In 17 games, Laszlo tallied 18 goals and six assists for 42 points. Her goal total tied for the ECC lead and her point total was good for second. During ECC action, she tied Mitrevski for the conference lead with 10 goals and led the way with 24 points. Laszlo also found her name among the NCAA Division II leaders, as her goal total was good for seventh in the country and her point total ranked 10th. Her per game totals were even better, ranking in the top-five nationally with marks of 2.63 points per game (5th) and 1.13 goals per game (4th)
Nilerud was named the Coach of the Year after guiding Bridgeport to an unbeaten run through ECC play. The Purple Knights finished the season with a 16-1-1 record and an unblemished 8-0-1 mark in ECC games. The unbeaten record was good for the third ECC Regular Season Championship in the past five seasons for Nilerud and the Purple Knights. Bridgeport also spent the entire season in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division II Top 25 poll, rising as high as No. 4.
2015 ECC Women's Soccer All-Conference
First Team
F - Andrea Huntzinger, Fr., LIU Post
F - Jess Laszlo, Fr., Bridgeport
F - Susanne Vistnes, Sr., LIU Post
M - Jessica DeLeon, Sr., Mercy
M - Flo Gamby, Sr., Bridgeport
M - Bella Mitrevski, Jr., Roberts Wesleyan
M - Nicola Worthington, Jr., Bridgeport
B - Kristin Brandman, Jr., LIU Post
B - Heaven Palamitia, Sr., Roberts Wesleyan
B - Julia Weidenmark, Jr., Bridgeport
GK - Jennifer Wendelius, Fr., Bridgeport
Second Team
F - Brittany Houghton, Sr., Roberts Wesleyan
F - Amanda Moura, Jr., Bridgeport
F - Haley Noble, Fr., Mercy
M - Julia Backman, Jr., LIU Post
M - Hanne Neby, Jr., Bridgeport
M - Rebecca Raber, Sr., Dowling
M - Heidi Serna, So., Mercy
B - Savannah Campana, Sr., Mercy
B - Taylor Fletcher, So., Roberts Wesleyan
B - Katie LaManna, Sr., LIU Post
GK - Nicole Augustine, Sr., Mercy
Third Team
F - Alyssa Rosania, So., St. Thomas Aquinas
F - Danielle Valente, Jr., Molloy
F - Erin Vernillo, So., Queens
M - Taylor Bonanno, So., Queens
M - Allie Merrill, Sr., Dowling
M - Samantha Moreno, So., Roberts Wesleyan
M - Christina Restivo, Sr., Molloy
M - Ariana Weingrad, So., Bridgeport
B - Rose Carboni, So., Daemen
B - Annette Mims, Sr., Molloy
B - Stephanie Vahos, Jr., Bridgeport
GK - Felicia Orderud, Jr., LIU Post
Offensive Player of the Year: Bella Mitrevski, Jr., M, Roberts Wesleyan
Defensive Player of the Year: Nicola Worthington, Jr., M, Bridgeport
Goalkeeper of the Year: Jennifer Wendelius, Fr., Bridgeport
Rookie of the Year: Jess Laszlo, Fr., F, Bridgeport
Coach of the Year: Magnus Nilerud, Bridgeport
