TOWSON, Md. – Towson University women's soccer has a team set for the future, placing four Tigers on the 2020 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams, announced by the league on Thursday.
Four all-conference selections are the most All-CAA players for Towson in a single season in program history. Towson had three All-CAA players in each 2013 and 2014.
Midfielder
Demi Pierre and goalkeeper
Riley Melendez earned spots on the All-CAA Second Team while forward
Nia Christopher and defender
Phoebe Canoles were selected to the All-CAA Third Team.
Four CAA all-conference players are tied for third among schools this season, with only Hofstra and Northeastern having more.
In addition, all four Towson all-conference players, under head coach
Katherine Vettori, also landed on the CAA All-Rookie Team out of 10 potential spots. This ties for the most amount of CAA All-Rookie Team selections in a season with William & Mary in 2012. Towson has never put more than one player on the CAA All-Rookie Team in a season.
No other CAA team had more than one representative on the All-Rookie Team.
The 2020 All-CAA Women's Soccer Postseason Awards were voted on by the league's head coaches.
Pierre, returning from injury in 2019, started all eight games for Towson, being a one-time CAA Rookie of the Week for a two-assist performance against James Madison. Playing at midfield and forward, the Sweden native finished with 13 shots, having at least one shot in seven different contests.
Melendez had a stellar first year between the pipes, earning three shutouts and playing every minute in goal for the Tigers. She finished the year with a 72.1% save rate and 1.38 goals allowed average, having only three regulation goals scored against her in Towson's first seven games. The Springfield, Virginia native was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week for her performance.
Christopher was one of the top offensive threats in the CAA North, finishing fifth in the league in shots on goal per game, totaling 11 on 17 shots. The Bermuda native earned her first collegiate point off an assist to
Jenna Blank vs. James Madison and scored the game-winning goal on a perfect shot inside the left post in Towson's victory vs. Delaware.
Also returning from a 2019 injury, Canoles anchored Towson's back line at center defense, being the lone Towson field player to compete in all 785 minutes this season. She also was an offensive threat, finishing tied for eighth in the CAA, along with teammate
Khori Banks, with 18 total shots, putting seven on goal. Baltimore's own also earned an assist to
Camryn Anderson at Hofstra on Saturday.
Towson concluded the 2021 spring season this past weekend, finishing at 2-4-2 overall and 1-3 in the CAA. The Tigers did not give up a goal in regulation in five games, including four against CAA teams. Towson earned its first program victory over James Madison plus won the home finale against Delaware.
Hofstra won four of the six CAA major awards: Sabrina Bryan is the Attacking Player of the Year, Lucy Porter is the Midfielder of the Year, Anja Suttner is the Defensive Player of the Year while Simon Riddough is the Coach of the Year. Blair Barefoot of UNCW is each the Goalkeeper of the Year and the Rookie of the Year.
