2006 NEWMAC Women's Soccer All-Conference Team Selected, M.I.T's Ludlum, Theurer Named As Player, Rookie Of Year, Smith's Nielsen Tabbed As Coach Of Year, Mount Holyoke Wins Inaugural Sportsmanship Award

WORCESTER, Mass.--  M.I.T. junior forward Amy Ludlum was named on Tuesday as the 2006 NEWMAC Women's Soccer Player of the Year in a vote of the league's coaches, while freshman teammate Liz Theurer was named as the 2006 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year.  Smith's Phil Nielsen was tabbed by his peers as the league's Coach of the Year after leading the Pioneers to an 11-7-1 mark to date.

Ludlum led the Engineers and the NEWMAC in scoring with 17 goals and seven assists for 41 points on the season, while Theurer finished right behind her on M.I.T.'s scoring list with 10 goals and three assists for 23 points.  Nielsen guided Smith to a berth in the NEWMAC championship match for the second time in three seasons and the top seed in the upcoming ECAC championships.

Mount Holyoke College was named as the inaugural Sportsmanship Award winner as voted on by the women's soccer players at each conference member institution.

Joining Ludlum and Theurer on the first team all-NEWMAC squad are teammate Kat Vater, Babson's Caitlin Cronin and Meg Lynch, Smith's Natalie Sullivan, Springfield's Kayla Thibeault and Lauren Peltier as well as Angelamaria Viscomi, Erin Davis and Lauren Konopka from league regular season and tournament champion Wheaton.

The NEWMAC second team all-conference squad is comprised of Clark's Amanda Ramos and Amy Wilson, Smith's Janine Olthius and Dalyn Houser, Springfield's Jillian Pereira and Nicole Hanewich, Wellesley's Alison Carney, Jennifer Lau and Katie Martore as well as Wheaton's Jenna Stiegler and Ashley Furr.

Wheaton Claims Sixth NEWMAC Women's Soccer Crown In Last Seven Seasons With 3-0 Victory Over Smith In 2006 Championship Match

NORTON, Mass.--  Make it six titles in seven seasons for Wheaton, as the top-seeded Lyons posted a 3-0 victory over third-seeded Smith in the 2006 NEWMAC Women's Soccer championship match Sunday afternoon.

Three different goal scorers paced Wheaton (20-1-1) to its triumph, as the Lyons and Pioneers (11-7-1) battled to a scoreless draw at the break before Wheaton struck for three tallies in an 18-plus minute span midway through the second half of action.

Juniors Stacey Kronenberg and Elana Cockburn combined for two saves to pick up the shutout in goal for the Lyons, who advance to the NCAA Division III Championships with the NEWMAC's automatic berth.