BURLINGTON, Ont. - A total of four Gryphons women soccer players were recognized on Thursday (Nov. 2) as Ontario University Athletics announced the conference's All-Stars and major award winners for the 2017-18 women's soccer season.
 

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Gryphon Women's Soccer 2017 OUA West All-Stars & Award Winners

OUA West 1st Team All-Star
#26 Libby Brenneman (Goalie)
#3 Nicole Brown-Shaw (Defender)

OUA West 2nd Team All-Star
#7 Andrea Cimino (Defender)

OUA West Community Service Award
#5 Sara Van Den Akker (Defender)
 

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A pair of Gryphons were named OUA West 1st Team All-Stars in fourth year goalkeeper Libby Brenneman and third year defender Nicole Brown-Shaw. Brenneman, who last year was named to the OUA West 2nd Team, recorded 7 shutouts in 11 games played during the regular season and followed that up with a clean sheet in Guelph's 5-0 win over Laurier in the OUA Quarter-finals. Brown-Shaw, a Psychology Brain & Cognition student from Dundas, Ontario, has helped anchor the Gryphons' back-four and was a key piece of a Gryphon defence that conceded just 11 goals in 16 matches played during the regular season. The 11 goals conceded ranked the Gryphons No. 2 amongst the OUA's top defences.

The lone Gryphon named to the OUA West 2nd Team was fourth year standout Andrea Cimino. Like Brenneman, Cimino was also an OUA West 2nd Team All-Star as season ago and followed that up with an outstanding 2017 campaign. Cimino has developed into one of the reliable and consistent players on a team that boasted an impressive 10-4-2 record in the regular season, good for 2nd in the OUA West Division.

Rounding out the awards for the Gryphons is Sara Van Den Akker, a fifth year defender from Welland, Ontario, who was named the OUA West's recipient of the Community Service Award. Van Den Akker serves as an executive member of "jack.org" -  a group dedicated to providing education and support regarding mental health awareness on campuses throughout Canada. Sara, an Adult Development major at U of G, also volunteers at St. Joseph's outreach program twice a week where she works with individuals with cognitive impairments. A regular assistant at the Guelph Humane Society, Sara is also involved at "Wellsprings" where she takes part in programs that help meet the emotional, social, practical and restorative needs of people living with cancer and those who care for them. 

The Gryphons women's soccer team is busy preparing for an OUA Semi-final clash with the defending conference champion UOIT Ridgebacks on Saturday, Nov. 4 (1pm). With a win over UOIT on Saturday in Oshawa, the Gryphons would book their spot in the OUA title game and would also clinch a berth into the U SPORTS Championships (Nov. 9-12 in Winnipeg). Saturday's match versus UOIT will be streamed live online at www.oua.ca.

For more information on the 2017 OUA Women's Soccer award winners and All-Stars, head to www.oua.ca
 

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2017 OUA Women's Soccer Major Award Winners

Most Valuable Player (East) – Laura Callender, Queen's
Most Valuable Player (West) – Nicole Lyon, Laurier
Coach of the Year (East) – Peyvand Mossavat, UOIT
Coach of the Year (West) – Martin Painter, Western
Rookie of the Year (East) – Victoria Watson, Ryerson
Rookie of the Year (West) – Giulia Geraci, Western
Community Service Award (East) – Hannah Landry, Ottawa
Community Service Award (West) – Sarah Van Den Akker, Guelph
 

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OUA West Division First Team All-Stars
Libby Brenneman, Guelph, Goalie
Jenna White, Western, Defence
Tomika McIntosh, York, Defence
Ellie Reid, Laurier, Defence
Nicole Brown-Shaw, Guelph, Defence
Grace Grafham, Western, Midfielder
Maxine Murchie, Laurier, Midfielder
Jessie Faber, McMaster, Midfielder
Pauline McCordic, Laurier, Midfielder
Nicole Lyon, Laurier, Striker
Julia Crnjac, Western, Striker

OUA West Division Second Team All-Stars
Marilena Spagnolo, Brock, Goalie
Mary Craig, McMaster, Defence
Andrea Cimino, Guelph, Defence
Keely Baggio, Windsor, Defence
Laura Kay, Waterloo, Defence
Giulia Geraci, Western, Midfielder
Christina Morelli, York, Midfielder
Cassidy Davis, McMaster, Midfielder
Hannah Rempel, Waterloo, Midfielder
Maila Carboni, McMaster, Striker
Sabrina Denard, Western, Striker
 

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OUA East Division First Team All-Stars
Caitlin McNamara, Laurentian, Goalie
Katherine Koehler-Grassau, UOIT, Defence
Kayla DaCosta-Pacheco, Ottawa, Defence
Cooper Lee, Ottawa, Defence
Allison Pilon, Laurentian, Defence
Katherine Bearne, Ottawa, Midfielder
Lidia Bradau, Queen's, Midfielder
Miranda Smith, Ottawa, Midfielder
Taijah Henderson, UOIT, Striker
Laura Callender, Queen's, Striker

OUA East Division Second Team All-Stars
Margot Shore, Ottawa, Goalie
Meat Cherent, Carleton, Defence
Alexis Kirton, UOIT, Defence
Savahnna Robinson, Ryerson, Defence
Delaney Borsato, Nipissing, Defence
Katerin Delev, Ottawa, Midfielder
Chelsea Cheung, Toronto, Midfielder
Emily Copeland, Carleton, Midfielder
Catherina Rocca, Laurentian, Midfielder
Jenny Wolever, Queen's, Striker
Andrea Young, Nipissing, Striker
 

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