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2017 All-United Women's Soccer Awards

08/02/2017, 3:00pm EDT
By Admin

Castellanos & Clem honored with top player plaudits; Robinson named top coach

METUCHEN, NJ - The Summer 2017 season in United Women’s Soccer (UWS) was one of measured & sustained growth, as the Midwest Conference was added and the league’s championship tournament was expanded to a four-team format. The future looks bright as work on the 2018 campaign has already begun. Yet, there is still news to announce as the national pro-am league puts a bow on the 2017 season. The All-UWS awards have been announced with individual honors going to representatives from three different organizations, all who qualified for the league’s showcase event - the UWS National Championship.

UWS Coach Of The Year
LEWIS ROBINSON (Grand Rapids FC Women)

With a successful men’s team already in place, the Grand Rapids FC organization began a women’s team and by the end of the 2017 season, the “Ladies In Blue” grabbed the spotlight by capturing not only the Midwest crown but the UWS National Championship. Robinson took charge of the GRFC Women with a history of success in the West Michigan soccer community. For the past six years, Robinson served as head coach for the Grandville H.S. girls team, winning six district championships, three conference championships and a regional title while finishing as 2013 State Runners-Up.

“It is an honor and a privilege to receive any national recognition for our team’s success this year,” said Robinson. “We owe all of our thanks to the club and supporters for supporting our team and giving us the backing to train and compete at the highest level. The support for the women's game was amazing this year and a great reflection of the players talent and hard work.”

UWS Player Of The Year
DEYNA CASTELLANOS (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)

Castellanos came into her summer stint with the defending UWS champions Santa Clarita with a burgeoning reputation on the world soccer stage and did not disappoint. The young Venezuelan international & Florida State University star led the team in scoring (five goals, assist) which included an astonishing four game-winning goals and was named to the UWS Team of the Week on four occasions. Deyna’s skill over the ball was known, but her work rate off the ball was also a sight to see. Castellanos started in 13 games last fall with Florida State, splitting time between Tallahassee and competing for Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

“It’s such an honor to be named UWS Player of the Year, I am speechless,” said Castellanos. “I want to give thanks to Santa Clarita Blue Heat Owner Carlos Marroquin for the platform to showcase women’s soccer in the USA. Thanks to United Women’s Soccer for putting on a high level of competition during the summer. The quality of the league is phenomenal. I also could not have done it without my teammates. Carlos put together a great group of players. They made this past season special. I've made lifelong friends this summer.”

UWS Defensive Player Of The Year
CAITLYN CLEM (Detroit Sun FC)

Detroit Sun FC finished in second place in the Midwest with thanks to Clem. The University of Wisconsin shot-stopper started in seven games (5-1-1 record, three shutouts, 34 saves) and only allowed seven goals - three came in a loss to Midwest champion Grand Rapids FC. Caitlyn started her Sun career in fine form as she made five saves in a shutout over FC Indiana and was selected to the UWS Team of the Week. Clem is a two-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree as a rising junior (42 starts) and helped lead Wisconsin to their first Big Ten Conference championship in 20 years in 2015.

“I'm incredibly humbled to receive this award out of all the awesome players in this league,” said Clem. “I believe this is not just a reflection of me, it's a reflection of the Detroit Sun and our backline. So, I would like to thank my team as well. Also, I'd like to give a shout out to UWS!”

2017 All-United Women’s Soccer First Team

F BETHANY BALCER (Grand Rapids FC Women)
F CARISSIMA CUTRONA (Western New York Flash)
MF JACKIE BRUNO (New Jersey Copa FC)
MF DEYNA CASTELLANOS (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
MF ANNIE STEINLAGE (Grand Rapids FC Women)
MF KIMBERLY MARRA (Long Island Rough Riders)
D NATALIA KUIKKA (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
D REBECCA RABER (New Jersey Copa FC)
D LAUREN SESSELMANN (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
D MICHAELA KOVACS (Grand Rapids FC Women)
GK CAITLYN CLEM (Detroit Sun FC)

2017 All-United Women’s Soccer Second Team

F MADISON SCHUPBACH (Detroit Sun FC)
F JOELLE GOSSELIN (Calgary Foothills Women’s FC)
F HALEY CRAWFORD (Lancaster Inferno)
MF BRENNA BROWN (New England Mutiny)
MF CHLOE CASTANEDA (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
MF DANI EVANS (Detroit Sun FC)
D TAYLOR GROTH (Long Island Rough Riders)
D NATALIE NORRIS (Real Salt Lake Women)
D JENNIFER CAFFERKY (New England Mutiny)
D BROOKE SALMON (New York Surf)
GK EMILY BURNS (Calgary Foothills Women’s FC)

2017 All-United Women’s Soccer Honorable Mention

F TATIANA ARIZA (Houston Aces)
F TORI SINGSTOCK (Michigan Legends FC)
F/MF FURTUNA VELAJ (New York Surf)
MF/F YO TACHIBANA (FC Indiana)
D CLARE CARLSON (Grand Rapids FC Women)

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

2017 All-East Conference Awards

07/27/2017, 9:30pm EDT
By Admin

LI awarded top coach & player honors; Copa’s Raber top defender

METUCHEN, NJ - Not only did United Women’s Soccer (UWS) expand into the Midwest this past season, but the East Conference also grew from six to eight teams for the 2017 campaign. And like the Midwest, said expansion allowed the league office to compile First & Second All-Conference Teams for end-of-season honors. New Jersey were the regular season champions in the conference but Long Island would one-up them in the East Final for the automatic berth into the UWS National Championship. Both sides were recognized when it came to the top individual honors awarded this season.

Coach Of The Year
ADAM WHITEHEAD (Long Island Rough Riders)

Four years after the conclusion of his stellar playing career for the Binghamton University Bearcats, Whitehead was named the new Head Coach of the Long Island Rough Riders prior to the 2017 season. Long Island had a solid 2016 season in the UWS East but under Whitehead’s tutelage, the team won their first game of the 2017 campaign and the long-time women’s soccer organization went on to take the next step up the pro-am ladder. A second-place finish during the regular season gave Whitehead’s team a shot at breaking New Jersey’s unbeaten streak at home in the 2017 East Conference Final. Long Island broke down a stingy Copa defense in a 5-1 win that sent them to the UWS National Championship.

Player Of The Year
KIMBERLY MARRA (Long Island Rough Riders)

Marra was the two-way difference make for the Long Island Rough Riders this past season, playing in the central midfield as both a playmaker and a destroyer while also spending time in the defense. The former Iona Gael (started in 54 of 68 career games) captained the Rough Riders in most of her 10 appearances in 2017 and finished fourth in team scoring (three goals, assist). Lindsay was second in minutes played (810) and turned out to be Head Coach Adam Whitehead’s most consistent player. She was named to the UWS Team of the Week on three occasions - the last time in Week X when Marra scored three goals in two wins to end the season and leap-frog New England into second place and into the postseason.

Defensive Player Of The Year
REBECCA RABER (New Jersey Copa FC)

Raber returned for her second season with New Jersey Copa FC and led the East’s best defense to a stingy seven goals allowed in 10 conference games. New Jersey won their second straight regular season title and Rebecca once again led the team in minutes played - 900 in 2017 (1756 in two seasons) - while also adding two assists. Her 900 minutes played this past campaign was tied with nine other players for tops in all of UWS. Raber was named to the UWS Team of the Week on two occasions, the last time in Week VII when NJCFC notched two wins and outs-cored the opposition by a 6-1 margin. This past offseason, Raber scored the game-winning goal for Durham University in England to win the National Championship.

2017 All-East Conference First Team

F FURTUNA VELAJ (New York Surf)
F CARISSIMA CUTRONA (Western New York Flash)
F HALEY CRAWFORD (Lancaster Inferno)
MF BRENNA BROWN (New England Mutiny)
MF JACKIE BRUNO (New Jersey Copa FC)
MF KIMBERLY MARRA (Long Island Rough Riders)
D JENNIFER CAFFERKY (New England Mutiny)
D REBECCA RABER (New Jersey Copa FC)
D TAYLOR GROTH (Long Island Rough Riders)
D BROOKE SALMON (New York Surf)
GK CAITIE BRODERICK (Rochester Lady Lancers)

2017 All-East Conference Second Team

F JEANINE NUNEZ (New Jersey Copa FC)
F KATE HOWARTH (New England Mutiny)
F ERICA MURPHY (New York Surf)
F ERICA MODINA (Long Island Rough Riders)
MF TESA MCKIBBEN (Lancaster Inferno)
MF ALEXA SCHNEIDER (Long Island Rough Riders)
D SYDNEY CUMMINGS (New Jersey Copa FC)
D TRISHA CLARK (Lancaster Inferno)
D DANIELLE BRAUN (Western New York Flash)
D JENNY BITZER (New Jersey Copa FC)
GK SIERRA BONHAM (New York Magic)

Iron Women Of The Year (most minutes played)

D TRISHA CLARK (Lancaster Inferno)
D REBECCA RABER (New Jersey Copa FC)
D DANIELLE BRAUN (Western New York Flash)
D BROOKE SALMON (New York Surf)
D DYLAN PATTERSON (Rochester Lady Lancers)

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

UWS Week IX: Team Of The Week

07/11/2017, 4:30pm EDT
By Admin

A pair of substitutes steal the show in Week IX action

METUCHEN, NJ - The regular season is winding down in United Women’s Soccer (UWS) and the excitement is building for the postseason. Santa Clarita will defend their 2016 UWS title as West champions, the four-team Midwest playoffs kick off this weekend, New Jersey awaits their East Final opponent while a couple of teams sweat out the decision process for the “wild card” team in the 2017 National Championship (July 21-22) held in Grandville, MI. Out of the blue, a pair of substitutes - New England’s Marissa Aniolowski and Calgary’s Keara Thompson - came off the bench to lead their teams to important victories. The young Seton Hall standout and former UW-Milwaukee star played a huge part in each organization’s respective missions to reach the postseason.

UWS TEAM OF THE WEEK (WEEK IX)

F BETHANY BALCER (GRFC Women) # - 3 goals & assist continues torrid scoring run
F ERICA MURPHY (New York Surf) - 3 goals lead Surf to possible wild card berth
F CARISSIMA CUTRONA (Western New York Flash) $ - 4 goals, assist in win over NY Magic
MF KEARA THOMPSON (Calgary Foothills Women’s FC) - first-half sub scores 3 goals & assist in 4-1 win
MF KATRINA KOOMEN (Michigan Legends FC) - 2 goals, assist in playoff-clinching win
MF DEYNA CASTELLANOS (Santa Clarita Blue Heat) $ - 2 goals including 35-yard golazo
MF MARISSA ANIOLOWSKI (New England Mutiny) - first half sub scores 2 goals in 4-0 win
D ALEXA SIEGEL (Fort Wayne United Gryphons) - led defensive shutout in season finale
D NATALIE KUIKKA (Santa Clarita Blue Heat) # - another UWS TOTW selection for FSU standout
D JENNY BITZER (New Jersey Copa FC) - right back shut down Lancaster’s top scorer
GK EMILY BURNS * (Calgary Foothills Women’s FC) - 8 saves to keep Calgary in game

HONORABLE MENTION

F MADISON SCHUPBACH (Detroit Sun FC) # - 2 goals in season finale win over Toledo
F BRENNA BROWN (New England Mutiny) * - 2 goals in season finale win over WNY
MF RACHEL CORBOZ (New York Surf) - creativity & distribution in 3-2 win over Long Island
D BROOKE SALMON (New York Surf) - led defense to most important win of season 
GK ADRIANA MALDONADO * (So Cal Crush FC) - 12 saves in 2-1 loss to West champions
GK JORDAN KAMP (Lancaster Inferno) - 10 saves in 1-0 loss to East regular season champs

* 2nd appearance on UWS Team Of The Week
# 3rd appearance on UWS Team Of The Week
$ 4th appearance on UWS Team Of The Week

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.