2011 D3soccer.com Women's All-America Teams

MINNEAPOLIS – Junior goalkeeper Stephanie Vega (Oceanside, N.Y./Baldwin Senior) of the State University of New York at New Paltz women’s soccer team was selected to the 2011 D3soccer.com Women's All-America Third Team, as announced Thursday morning by D3soccer.com. Vega becomes the first All-American in the history of the New Paltz women’s soccer program.

Vega finished the 2011 campaign ranked second in NCAA Division III in save percentage (.914), sixth in NCAA Division III in goalie minutes played (2,106) and 15th in NCAA Division III in goals-against average (0.47). Furthermore, she led the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) in save percentage, saves (117), goals-against average and shutouts (13). Her 13 shutouts served as a single-season program record, and she now sits just three saves shy of the program’s all-time mark in the statistical category.

This honor adds to Vega’s postseason haul, as she was also named to the All-SUNYAC Second Team and was chosen as the MVP of the 2011 SUNYAC Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament.

The Hawks (14-6-3, 6-2-1 SUNYAC) won not only their first-ever SUNYAC Championship Tournament game in 2011, but they followed it up with their first-ever league title with a 1-0 victory over SUNY Cortland in the championship match on Nov. 5, which also served as head coach Colleen Bruley's 100th career win. They made an improbable run to the round of 16 at the 2011 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship Tournament, advancing, 3-2, on penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie with Lynchburg College in the first round before edging Rowan University, 2-1, in overtime in the second round. New Paltz's dream season came to an end in the third round, as it lost, 1-0, to Messiah College, the eventual national champion. In recognition of the team’s accomplishments in the postseason, the Hawks were slotted at No. 20 in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division III Women’s National Top-25 Poll and at No. 19 in the final D3soccer.com Women’s Top-25 Poll.