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Hall, Roberts, Dougall and Burke Earn NSCAA All-Region Accolades
12/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY – After a historic 2014 campaign for the University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's soccer team, the awards keep coming in for three players and the Bulls head coach Shawn Burke. Jackie Hall earned first team All-Great Lakes Region while Katie Roberts and freshman Laura Dougall were tabbed to the second team All-Great Lakes Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of American, as announced on Wednesday, December 3. Burke, Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, was also named All-Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
"Being recognized for All-Region is a tremendous accomplishment for our players," said Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, Shawn Burke. "When you look at the company on those teams, our athletes have not only proven themselves in the MAC but on a national stage as well. I am so proud of Jackie, Katie and Laura and the amazing season they put together."
UB earned All-Region members for the first time since the 2003 campaign when twin sisters Devon and Emily Russell earned the recognition. The three All-Region members for the Bulls are the most in a season in program history. Only one other MAC player, Miami's Kelsey Dinges, earned All-Region accolades.
After earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-MAC accolades, Hall was awarded All-Great Lakes Region for the first time in her productive career at Buffalo. The Brunswick, Ohio native led a back line that pitched a program record 14 shutouts in the most successful season in program history. Not only has Hall been dominant in the defensive third of the pitch, but also she has been a scoring threat in the offensive third where she netted a career-high four goals this season. Hall scored a pair of goals in the MAC Tournament for the Bulls including the game-winning marker in the 82nd minute in the MAC Championship game against Western Michigan, to send UB to their first-ever NCAA Tournament. Starting every game for the Bulls, Hall leads the team in minutes played and became the first UB player in program history to be tabbed MAC Defensive Player of the Year. After making the transition to the center back position, Hall led a stout Buffalo defense that held their opponents to five shots on goal or less in 16 of 22 contests.
Roberts, the first Bull in program history to win MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, was awarded second team All-Great Lakes Region after a great senior campaign. The Homerville, Ohio native was the most dominant player in the MAC all season long as she led the conference with 12 goals to go along with a pair of assists for 26 points. The forward has etched her name in the UB record books as her 12 goals this season rank her 8th in program history for goals in a season while her 23 career markers rank her 8th in program history for a career and her 54 career points tie her for 9th all-time. Roberts scored the lone goal for UB in their program's first ever appearance in a NCAA Tournament game against Penn State as she was awarded a penalty kick and she buried the ball in the back of the net. She closed out her illustrious UB career with 11 game-winning goals in 79 career games.
Dougall closed out the best goalkeeping season in program history with an overall record of 16-2-3, a program record for wins in a season, en route to being named second team All-Great Lakes Region. Dougall is the lone freshman to earn All-Region first or second team accolades. The Pickering, Ontario native was named Freshman of the Year along with first team All-MAC after a record setting season which saw her turn in a program record 13 clean sheets. Dougall closed out her first season in blue and white leading the MAC in goals-against average (0.54), save percentage (.875), wins (16) and minutes (1985:24). Her save percentage of .875 also ranked her 9th in the NCAA for the season.
After winning his first MAC Coach of the Year award earlier this season, coach Burke became the first UB coach in program history to earn All-Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year accolades. Burke led the Bulls to a program-best 16-3-3 overall record while earning their first ever MAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Burke closed out the 2014 campaign with the highest winning percentage of any first year head coach (.795) while Troy's Jason Hamilton and Burke both finished with 16 wins on the season.
The first-year head coach helped the Bulls close out the regular season with a MAC Championship as they earned a 9-0-2 regular season conference mark, earning just the third unbeaten season in MAC history and first in UB history. Burke also helped lead UB to their highest RPI ranking in program history (32nd) along with receiving votes in the top-25 Coaches Poll for the first time in program history. Burke's decision to Move Hall from the midfield to center back has proved to be the biggest difference for the Bulls from last year as they improved by 10 wins and advanced to their first ever NCAA Tournament contest.
"It's a great honor to be recognized in the Region with so many great programs and coaches," said first-year head coach Shawn Burke. "We have an amazing staff and the work of Kim Brandao and Casey Derkacz has made our success possible this year."
