Nov. 1, 2011

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - On the eve of its first post-season match since 2008, the East Carolina (10-7-1, 5-6-0) soccer team had three players named to the All-Conference USA squads according to an announcement by the league Tuesday morning. Senior Kimmy Cummings was selected to the first-team, while fellow classmate Amanda Malkiewicz garnered second-team accolades. Rookie Kelley Johnson rounded out the Pirates' selections with her All-Freshman Team honors.

ECU's three selections marks the seventh consecutive season the Pirates have had at least three players on the All C-USA Teams.

The all-league selection was the first of Cumming's career, who started all 18 games for the Pirates. The Mechanicsville, Va. native completed her best season to date sharing the team lead in points (20) and goals (8), while ranking second in assists (4) and game-winning strikes (2), which were all new career-highs and ranked among the league leaders. Cummings recorded a pair of multi-goal games on the season including posting ECU's first hat trick in seven years when she scored three of the Pirates four strikes against Old Dominion (last ECU player was Meghan McCallion in 2004). Against Rice she netted a pair of goals in a 3-1 win pushing her season total to eight. One of three captains on the team, she was named one of 20 Players to Watch in Conference USA by TopDrawerSoccer.com alongside fellow upperclassmen Caty Butler. Cummings has started 37 of 77 career games (all in a row) and ranks among the school's all-time Top 10 in goals (14), assists (11) and points (39).

Malkiewicz took home her third career C-USA accolade after being named to the all-freshman squad in 2008 and third-team last year. The Forked River, N.J. native had her best season in league play as a senior netting six of her seven goals against C-USA members, with four game-winners. Heading into the regular season finale against UAB, she had scored a goal in four-straight games with three game clinching goals that helped the Pirates earn the No. 5 seed in the upcoming C-USA Women's Soccer Championships in Memphis, Tenn. In all, Malkiewicz tallied 17 points and three assists to go with her seven goals, once again ranking among the league leaders in those statistical categories (all games). One of three team captains, Malkiewicz has played in 78 career games with 77 starts and ranks among the all-time Pirate greats in assists (19/second), goals (24/fourth), points (67/fourth) and game-winning goals (11/fourth).

Johnson became the eighth Pirate in school history to earn C-USA All-Freshman team honors and the first since Rachel Wechsler in 2010. The Springfield, Va. native played in all 18 games recording a pair of starts at Tulsa and SMU. Against nationally ranked William & Mary, she scored her first collegiate goal netting the equalizer before the first half. In all, she posted seven shots (three on goal) and logged a rookie-best 651 minutes, which included a career-best 91 in the home and season finale against the Blazers.

A complete list of the three all-conference team selections and specialty award winners follows:

2011 C-USA WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

Offensive Player-of-the-Year
Christabel Oduro, Memphis

Defensive Player-of-the-Year
Lizzy Simonin, Memphis

Midfielder-of-the-Year
Jessie Ayers, Colorado College

Freshman-of-the-Year
Jessie Ayers, Colorado College

Coach-of-the-Year
Brooks Monaghan, Memphis

All-Conference First-Team
F: Lauren DiGregorio, Colorado College
F: Christabel Oduro, Memphis
F: Jessica Howard, Rice
F: Tiffini Turpin, UAB
F: Tishia Jewell, UCF
MF: Jessie Ayers, Colorado College
MF: Kimmy Cummings, East Carolina
MF: Mallory Baum, SMU
D: Lizzy Simonin, Memphis
D: Kaitlyn Eidson, SMU
D: Marissa Diggs, UCF
GK: Elise Kuhar-Pitters, Memphis

All-Conference Second-Team
F: Britney Lyman, Colorado College
F: Amanda Malkiewicz, East Carolina
F: Jessica Zavalza, Houston
MF: Lizzy Hildebrandt, Memphis
MF: Stacie Hubbard, UCF
MF: Azia Nicholson, UTEP
D: Beth Wright, Colorado College
D: Lauren LaGro, Rice
D: Claire Hulcer, Tulsa
GK: Aline Reis, UCF

All-Conference Third-Team
F: Claire Nicholson, Tulsa
F: Tess Hall, UTEP
F: Katie Dorman, UTEP
MF: Sharis Lachappelle, Houston
MF: Angela DeSumma, Marshall
MF: Quynh Nhu Truong, Rice
MF: Jordan O'Brien, Tulsa
MF: Carolyn Polcari, UAB
D: Stephanie Derieg, Houston
D: Courtney Smith, SMU
D: Caitlin Leumas, Southern Miss
GK: Amy Czyz, Rice

All-Freshman Team
Jessie Ayers, MF, Colorado College
Kaeli Vandersluis, F, Colorado College
Kelley Johnson, D/MF, East Carolina
Sharis Lachappelle, MF, Houston
Kylie Davis, MF, Memphis
Natalia Gomez-Junco, MF, Memphis
Amy Czyz, GK, Rice
Quynh Nhu Truong, MF, Rice
Rikki Clarke, MF, SMU
Carleigh Williams, D, UCF
Sarah Dilling, GK, UTEP