Women's soccer announces its award winners at annual banquet
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Head coach Andy Biggs and Bryant University women's soccer announces its major award winners, including Most Valuable Player Hannah Crofut (East Amherst, N.Y.), Rookie of the Year Alex Ralph (Peterborough, Ont.), Most Valuable Offensive Player Scout Benson (Lynnfield, Mass.), Most Valuable Defensive Player Kaylan Conrad (Avon, Conn.), Core Values Person of the Year Rachel Brightman (Rochester, N.Y.) and Most Improved Player Alyssa Riccione (Mohnton, Pa.) at the annual banquet on Sunday.
"Our Most Valuable Player of the Year has played as forward, midfielder, and a back in her time with Bryant Women's Soccer," said Biggs. "This past season, Crofut played mostly from the back while still managing a game-winning goal against Fairfield and a game-winning assist against Sacred Heart. She is calm on the ball, reads the game very well in defense and provides a steady presence for her teammates with her encouraging organization. Crofut's role in a defense that posted six shutouts and a .81 GAA in the final nine games of the season, opposing coaches voted her a first-team all NEC selection".
"As member of a first-year class that added a great deal to our team in defense, midfield, and attack, our Rookie of the Year also fought through an injury to start all 18 of the games that she played in her first season," said Biggs. Playing from the center of midfield, Ralph displayed a real willingness and ability to defend in front of the back four. A strong tackler, Ralph also showed she is good with the ball at her feet. As the season progressed, and her confidence and experience grew, she started showing up near the opponent's penalty box more often. Ultimately, one of these well-timed runs resulted in her scoring a great overtime game winner from outside the box in against Central Connecticut".
"Our Most Valuable Offensive Player set a great example with her hard work in training and games, and her never say die attitude helped her to establish herself as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the NEC," said Biggs. Over the course of the season, Benson battled through injuries and on a weekend when she could have opted to play with Puerto Rico in the second round of Olympic Qualifiers, she helped to kick off an undefeated conference start with the game winning goal and game winning assist in back to back games with Sacred Heart and Wagner".
"After a stellar sophomore season, our Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year battled through an injury to turn in some impressive performances down the stretch in this her junior year," said Biggs. Conrad posted six shutouts in our final nine regular season games and led the NEC with five shutouts in conference play. Late saves from point blank shots at the back post to preserve shutouts against Brown and LIU Brooklyn are just two examples of how well Conrad blended her talents with those of her teammates".
"We have dedicated much of the past year to writing and then developing a set of core values for Bryant Women's Soccer," said Biggs. Coaches and players alike have spent time talking about and making presentations to our group on the significance of each of our core values, as we believe very strongly that our character drives our process, and thereby help us to control to the best of our ability the results that we achieve both on and off the field".
"Given the importance of these values to all that we do, we wanted to be sure to establish an award to remind us all that character and doing things the right way is more important than any result we may achieve," said Biggs. "This year's award winner, the first in what we know will one day be a long and proud list of Bryant alumni, is a sophomore who is universally respected for her effort and ability on the field as well the manner in which she carries herself on campus, in the classroom, and around the community. On the field, Brightman made the first five starts of her Bryant career, and helped lead the team to our first victory of the season with a confident and assured display in goal in her first-ever start. While she suffered an injury that would knock her out of action for a couple of weeks, Brightman kept her positive outlook and recovered to work as hard as ever. Beyond her work ethic and attitude, she is often cited for her supportive and caring approach to teammates".
"For all of the past year, our team has remained focused on raising our level of play from day to day and week to week," said Biggs. As we are very much dedicated to continuing this focus into the future, our Most Improve Player of the Year award is and always will be very near and dear to us. This year's winner is a sophomore who both started games and came off the bench to provide a spark in attack, like with her goal against Fairfield, or tie the opposition up with her excellent defensive work. Riccione's work rate in training matches her tireless running in games where she can often be seen springing forward on a counterattack, harassing an opposing back, or tracking back well into her own half. Given her attitude, I have no doubt that she will continue her impressive improvement".