CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The University of Charleston women's soccer team dominated the selections on the All-WVIAC Second Team with five players, while slipping another into the Honorable Mention listing as announced by the WVIAC office Wednesday.

Coming off a 6-10-2 season the Golden Eagles stunned Shepherd in the conference tournament before falling to eventual champion Alderson-Broaddus.

Freshman leading scorer Holly Bigg (Limehouse, Ontario) paved the way for the Golden Eagles grabbing a Second Team selection in her rookie season at UC. Bigg finished the season with six goals and three assists just ahead of 2010 WVIAC Freshman of the Year Kimberly D'Angelo (Lindenhurst, NY) who also took home Second Team honors. D'Angelo ended the year with three goals and three assists.

Charleston's two outside scoring threats Courtney Cole (White Sulpher Springs, WV) and Brittany Loveland (Cheswick, PA) grabbed two of the four forward positions on the Second Team, while junior defender Angela Petrizzo (Oakland Gardens, NY) wrapped up the honorees.

The University of Charleston's defense got its final recognition on the Honorable Mention squad with the selection of backline enforcer Paige Leaver (Ashland, KY).

The Golden Eagles will continue to grow with experience having a young lineup as five of the six players honored will return for the 2012 campaign. Cole was the only senior listed and concludes her UC career with 10 goals and two assists in 32 games after transfering from WV Wesleyan.

2011 top honors went to Alderson-Broaddus' goalkeeper Kate Laird, WV Wesleyan’s Rachel Ritchey and the Battlers’ Patrick McGinnis. Laird is the conference’s Player of the Year while Ritchey is the Freshman of the Year. McGinnis was tabbed the Coach of the Year after guiding A-B to its first-ever WVIAC Tournament Championship and postseason berth.

Laird, a junior, registered a league-best 11 shutouts, including one during the WVIAC Championship. The Morgantown, W. Va., native totaled six shutouts during conference play and two more in the league tournament while helping the team to an 11-6-3 record. Ten of the team’s victories came via a shutout.  

Ritchey, a native of Irwin, Pa., accounted for 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. She notched four game-winning goals. Ritchey’s 10 goals were the third most in the WVIAC and her 23 points were tied for second most in the league. She also helped the Bobcats win the 2011 regular-season championship.

McGinnis led the Battlers to the 2011 NCAA Tournament with an 11-6-3 mark and a 6-2-1 record in conference play. He guided the squad to its second consecutive WVIAC Championship game.

WVIAC First-Team Honorees
GK – Kate Laird, Jr., Morgantown, W. Va. (A-B)
F - Rachel Ritchey, Fr., Irwin, Pa. (WVWC)
F – Nicole Lehman – Jr., Orlando, Fla. (A-B)
F – Alyssa Hessian – Sr., Marlton, N.J. (CU)
F – Nicole Dant, Sr., Elkton, Md. (D&E)
F – Sarah Fyock, Jr., Masontown, Pa. (D&E)
F – Mackiesh Taylor, Jr., St. Croix, Virgin Islands (SHU)
MF – Kasie Shoemaker, Jr., Hyndman, Pa. (A-B)
MF – Olivia Augustine, Fr., Mansfield, Ohio (A-B)
MF – Brianna Hines, Sr., Woodbridge, Va., (SU)
MF – Megan Newrones, Sr., Medina, Ohio (WJU)
MF – Katie Roberts, Sr., Parkersburg, W. Va. (WVWC)
D – Megan Johnson, Jr., Charleston, W. Va. ( A-B)
D – Stephanie Zamora, Sr., San Bernardino, Calif. (A-B)
D – Allison Dant, Jr., Elkton, Md. (D&E)
D – Aleisha Rees, Jr., Cranberry Township, Pa. (WVWC)

WVIAC Second-Team Honorees
GK – Ashley Winkelspecht, Fr., Williamstown, N.J. (D&E)
F – Kelsey J. Smith, Fr., York, Pa. (SU)
F – Brittany Loveland, So., Cheswick, Pa. (UC)
F – Courtney Cole, Sr., White Sulpher Springs, W. Va. (UC)
F – Allison Geary, Fr., Jefferson Hills, Pa. (WJU)
MF – Gwen Brand, Jr., Kingwood, W. Va. (A-B)
MF – Nicole DIrnagl, Sr., Winchester, Va. (CU)
MF – Kate Armentrout, Sr., Beckley, W. Va. (CU)
MF – Alexa McCartney, Sr., Picker, Ontario (D&E)
MF – Emma Davis, Fr., Gainesville, Pa. (D&E)
MF – Jessica Bigg, Fr., Limehouse, Ontario (UC)
MF – Kimberly D’Angelo, So., Lindenhurst, N.Y. (UC)
D – Victoria Gustitis, Jr., Fallston, Md. (D&E)
D – Kelsey Eagan, So., Baltimore, Md. (SU)
D – Angela Petrizzo, Jr., Oakland Gardens, N.Y. (UC)
D – Emma Levin-Neilsen, Jr., Vienna, W. Va. (WVWC)
D – Zania Thomas, Sr., Lanham, Md. (WVWC)

Honorable Mention Honorees
GK – Caroline Lalley, Sr., Silver Spring, Md. (WVWC)
F – Amber Kling, Jr., Grantsville, Md. (A-B)
F – Morgan Gabriel, So., Egg City Harbor, N.J. (SU)
F – Cris Eddy, Fr., Charleston, W. Va. (WVWC)
F – Amber Wozny, Fr., Windber, Pa. (WVWC)
MF – Luciana Legaspi, Jr., Williamsburg, Va. (D&E)
MF – Kasey Canterbury, Fr., Berryville, Va. (SU)
MF – Lexi Vondrak, Fr., Harrisonburg, Va. (SU)
MF – Jade Smith, So., Hurricane, W. Va. (WVWC)
D – Sarah Holmes, Jr., Baltimore, Md. (A-B)
D – Chelsea Gilliam, Jr., Charleston, W. Va. (A-B)
D – Tori Faulkner, Sr., Radford, Va. (CU)
D – Alison BOgar, So., Waterdown, Ontario (D&E)
D – Kelsey N. Smith, Fr., Hagerstown, Md. (SU)
D – Paige Leaver, So., Ashland, Ky. (UC)
D – Caroline Gacka, So., Allison Park, Pa. (WJU)
D – Erin Macpherson, Sr., Joppa, Md. (WVWC)