2010 AUS women's soccer awards and all-stars announced

HALIFAX, N.S. - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2010 women's soccer all-stars and major award winners as selected by the conference's ten head coaches following regular season play. Fifth-year UPEI striker Tessa Roche was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player for the second straight season, Thursday night.

Other AUS major award winners announced during the awards banquet in Wolfville, N.S., were Cape Breton's Jessica Furtado of Hamilton, Bermuda, who was named rookie of the year; Memorial's Samantha Hansford of St. John's, N.L., who received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award; and UPEI's Mike Redmond, who was chosen coach of the year.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Tessa Roche, UPEI

Tessa Roche, a fifth year striker with the UPEI Panthers, is once again the Atlantic University Sport women's soccer Player of the Year.

A native of Charlottetown, P.E., Tessa was selected as the 2005 Atlantic conference Rookie of the Year after leading the CIS in scoring with 15 goals, and AUS Player of the Year in 2009 after another outstanding season, in which she notched a league-high 13 goals.

Her eight goals in 2010 once again led the conference and her 46 career goals are a UPEI school record. She also notched three game-winning goals and added an assist this season.

"Tessa has been without exception one of the most gifted attacking players ever to play in the AUS," said UPEI head coach Mike Redmond. "For a player in any sport to score 46 goals in 65 games is truly remarkable. It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to coach Tessa these past five seasons."

Roche becomes just the second player in AUS history to be named the conference's Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Dalhousie's Julie Pigozzo is the only other player to do so, accomplishing the feat in 1999 and 2000.

Only two Atlantic conference athletes have taken home the Chantal Navert Memorial Award as CIS Player of the Year. UPEI's Amy Connolly won it in 2005 and Cape Breton's Sarah Drake was the 2002 recipient.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jessica Furtado, Cape Breton

Furtado is the fifth CBU player to earn AUS rookie-of-the-year honours since 1990 and the first since former Caper Natalie Cullen took home the award in 2003.

The 5-foot-6 midfielder from Hamilton, Bermuda, scored five goals in her freshman season to lead the Capers in scoring this year and rank fifth overall in the Atlantic conference. Jessica appeared in all 13 of Cape Breton's regular season games and was also named a second team AUS all-star Thursday.

"Jessica is a very mature soccer player and has made an immediate impact since her first game with our program, leading the team in scoring," said Cape Breton head coach Stephen Timmons. "As an attacking midfielder she has shown great vision this season and can score goals when given the opportunity."

The last Atlantic conference player to be named CIS Rookie of the Year was Cape Breton's Michelle Desjardins in 2000.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Samantha Hansford, Memorial

Hanford, a fifth year midfielder and co-captain with Memorial, becomes the second consecutive Memorial recipient of the Student-Athlete Community Service Award, which has been presented since 2007. Former Sea-Hawk Leslie Pope was recognized in 2009.

Samantha's current volunteer activities include helping with the "Turnings Addiction Services" program for convicted offenders, where she attends volunteer circle groups with offenders on a weekly basis to listen to their current issues or concerns in their life while giving them opinions that can help prevent them from reoffending.

She also volunteers with the Medical Genetics Centre with Eastern Health, the Boys and Girls Club of St. John's after school program and as an assistant coach for 2010-11 girls under 14 provincial soccer team. Hansford also participates with numerous cancer research fundraisers, including the Terry Fox Run (2010) and Relay for Life (2004-2007, 2009).

"Samantha has matured into a leader among her peers since first joining the Sea-Hawks program five years ago," says Memorial head coach Walt Mavin. "Her leadership extends both on and off the field. In addition to a full course load in a challenging Biochemistry program and fully committing to the Sea-Hawks program as a co-captain in 2010, Samantha has also lead the way for the team in terms of her community involvement and initiatives. She brings the same passion and integrity in whatever she takes on - her academics, soccer and very worthwhile community service work."

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Redmond, UPEI

Redmond is honoured as AUS coach of the year for the second time since taking over as UPEI head coach seven years ago. He previously received the distinction in 2004, his initial campaign at the helm, when he was later selected as the CIS Coach of the Year.

The CIS No. 7-ranked Panthers enjoyed yet another successful season under Redmond's watch, finishing first in the AUS standings with an undefeated 10-0-3 record and allowing just one goal in 13 regular season games. In seven seasons with the Panthers program, Mike has a 66-23-17 record including seven AUS championship appearances and two CIS championship appearances.

His Panthers, who have been ranked in the CIS top 10 rankings in nine of ten polls this fall, will also play host to the CIS championship tournament next week in Charlottetown.

"UPEI is both proud and excited that Michael has been selected as the AUS coach of the year," said UPEI Director of Athletics Ron Annear. "Michael puts a tremendous amount of time and energy into supporting student-athlete development and providing an elite program offering. His coaching excellence notwithstanding, Michael's leadership and commitment to supporting his athletes academic success and community engagement is equally impressive."

UPEI's Redmond (2004), CBU's Stephen Timmons (2000) and former Acadia coach Laura Saunders (1990) are the only Atlantic coaches to be named CIS Coach of the Year.

FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS

The AUS first and second team all-stars were also announced on Thursday.

First Team AUS All-Stars:
Striker - Tessa Roche, UPEI (5th year - Charlottetown, PE)
Striker - Kelly Burgess, Saint Mary's (4th year - Halifax, NS)
Striker - Elizabeth Leighton, Acadia (4th year - Naples, ME)
Midfield - Kate MacDonald, Dalhousie (5th year - Elmsdale, NS)
Midfield - Josée LeBlanc, Moncton (3rd year - Grande-Digue, NB)
Midfield - Robbyn McNeill, Cape Breton (2nd year - Kentville, NS)
Defender - Jeanette Huck, Dalhousie (5th year - Halifax, NS)
Defender - Sara Stewart, UPEI (2nd year - Charlottetown, PE)
Defender - Meaghan Ramsden, StFX (2nd year - Ottawa, ON)
Defender - Katherine Mills, Cape Breton (4th year - Sydney, NS)
Keeper - Chanelle Roy, UPEI (3rd year - Bathurst, NB)

Second Team AUS All-Stars:
Striker - Heidi Pentz, Saint Mary's (5th year - Bedford, NS)
Striker - Megan Spicer, Mount Allison (2nd year - Sussex, NB)
Striker - Chelsie McInnis, UPEI (4th year - Summerside, PE)
Midfield - Andrea Archibald, UPEI (3rd year - Saskatoon, SK)
Midfield - Gabrielle Babineau, Moncton (4th year - Dieppe, NB)
Midfield - Heather Ambery, UNB (3rd year - Ottawa, ON)
Midfield - Jessica Furtado, Cape Breton (1st year - Hamilton, Bermuda)
Defender - Kyla Cunningham, Cape Breton (4th year - Edmonton, AB)
Defender - Ashley Dawe, Memorial (5th year - St. John's, NL)
Defender - Kim Hardy, Dalhousie (5th year - Dartmouth, NS)
Keeper - Taryn McKenna, Dalhousie (1st year - Oakville, ON)

-AUS-