The plaudits continue for Gemma Nortcliffe.
The leading scorer on the Concord Women's Soccer team has earned a spot on the Daktronics Inc. NCAA Division II All-Atlantic Region team.
The honor follows Nortcliffe being named to the All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team November 10, and makes her eligible for consideration as a 2009 All-American.
Nortcliffe topped with WVIAC in Goals Per Game (1.31) and Points Per Game (2.81). The junior from Wakefield, England was, respectively, fifth and seventh in the nation in those two categories.
Playing in just 16 matches, Nortcliffe was second in the WVIAC in Goals (21), Points (45) and Shots (71). She was third in the conference in Shots Per Game (4.44) and fourth in Game-Winning Goals (4).
Nortcliffe tied for second in the nation for goals in a single game this season, with four against Salem International on October 8. Her nine points in that match ranked her fourth in the nation for single-game scoring.
"Statistics don't lie," said Concord head coach Carol Bonnes, "so to be among the leaders in the conference and the country is a great accomplishment. It's good to see one of our players get this kind of national recognition."
Nortcliffe twice earned WVIAC Player of the Week honors this season (September 7 and November 2).
The Mountain Lions finished 2009 with a record of 12-7 and advanced to the WVIAC Tournament Final for the second straight season.
Concord featured the nation's fifth-ranked offense, averaging 3.53 Goals Per Game.
The Daktronics Inc. All-Atlantic Region Team is based on voting by sports information directors from NCAA Division II institutions in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The 2009 All-American Team will be announced on Tuesday, December 1.
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Here's the text of the official All-Region announcement:
November 17, 2009
For immediate release
WHEELING JESUIT'S HOUSTON HEADLINES DAKTRONICS INC.
ALL-ATLANTIC REGION WOMEN'S SOCCER SELECTIONS
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Wheeling Jesuit University forward Kara Houston was named Tuesday as the Daktronics, Inc. Atlantic Region women's soccer “Player of the Year.”
Houston also headlined a list of 13 student-athletes named to first-team all-region honors in voting powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM and conducted among sports information directors at NCAA Division II institutions located in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
A junior from Washington, Pa., Houston was the leading goal scorer in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this fall with 24 and added four assists to finish the season with 52 points. A first-team All-WVIAC selection, she led her team to an 11-10 overall record.
West Chester University, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion and Atlantic Regional runner-up, had five players named to first-team all-region honors to lead of list of nine PSAC student-athletes named to top honors. The Golden Rams also had three student-athletes named to second-team all-region status.
Indiana University of Pa., which upset West Chester in the regional final Sunday, had only one player named to all-region status: Midfielder Heather Robbins.
The complete list of Daktronics, Inc. All-Atlantic Region selections follows:
DAKTRONICS INC. WOMEN'S SOCCER
ALL-ATLANTIC REGION TEAMS
Player of the Year: Kara Houston, forward, Wheeling Jesuit
FIRST TEAM
Forward: Amanda Heister, California; Kara Houston, Wheeling Jesuit; Gemma Nortcliffe, Concord; Sarah Oswald, West Chester.
Midfielder: Devon Miniscalco, East Stroudsburg; Jen Hutchinson, West Chester; Megan Beal, Davis & Elkins; Heather Robbins, Indiana.
Defender: Jenna Arnold, West Chester; Chelsea Deeter, Kutztown; Megan Jackson, Alderson-Broaddus; Cindi Nickels, West Chester
Goalkeeper: Lyndsie Bernardini, West Chester
MORE
SECOND TEAM
Forward: Cole Dant, Davis & Elkins; Taylor Hilinski, Mercyhurst; Jill Morrison, West Virginia Wesleyan; Katie Shoemaker, Alderson-Broaddus; Megan Zayas, West Chester.
Midfielder: Carina Honeygosky, California; Hannah Macormic, West Virginia Wesleyan; Katie Roberts, West Virginia Wesleyan; Jessica Bennett, West Chester
Defender: Allison Dant, Davis & Elkins; Tara Malkiewicz, West Chester; Fallon Nicholas, Charleston; Alanna Torrey, West Virginia Wesleyan
Goalkeeper: Caroline Lalley, West Virginia Wesleyan
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