Feb. 16, 2007

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara women's soccer team celebrated its successful 2006 season last weekend at the Adobe Lodge in an evening filled with laughs, highlights, tears, and special memories. Over the course of the evening, the student-athletes, their families, and guests were treated to a highlight video of the team's 2007 season as well as a farewell to the team's 10 seniors.

"It was wonderful to celebrate the many individual and team accomplishments during this past season," said head coach Jerry Smith. "It was especially enjoyable to remember not only this past season, but to look back on the wonderful memories our graduating seniors have given us over the past four years."

The Broncos finished 15-5-1 last season, capturing the program's ninth WCC title and securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the process. The season was marked by big wins over other elite programs such as UCLA, Texas A&M, Wake Forest, and Portland.

Seniors Bonnie Bowman, Marian Dalmy, Kelly Giddings, Casey Pleas, Tiffany Roberts, Julie Ryder, Carrie Schuler, Elyse Shelger, Hillary Schwarzbach, and Lauren Zealear were all honored at the banquet for their contributions to Santa Clara women's soccer, which includes a College Cup appearance (2004), three West Coast Conference titles (2003, `04, and `06), two All-Americans in Ryder (2003) and Dalmy (2005), one WCC Player of the Year (Dalmy, 2006), a WCC Freshman of the Year (Zealear, 2003), and 12 All-WCC selections in all.

"On and off the field, our 10 seniors had a tremendous impact on the growth of our program, and they will be missed," Smith added about the senior class. "It has been a real joy for our entire staff to have been a part of their character development and maturation process of these young women. We know they leave Santa Clara University with the tools necessary to lead happy and productive lives going forward."

The team also honored some of its own with the postseason awards presentation. Dalmy and Brittany Klein shared Co-Player of the Year honors, as Dalmy was named WCC Player of the Year after scoring six goals and making six assists as well as playing a major role on the back line, which shut out 11 opponents in 2006. Klein's five goals and an assist sparked the offense, while her invaluable leadership in the midfield helped land her the team's Most Inspirational Player award.

Meagan Snell took home Offensive MVP honors after leading the team with 11 goals, 25 points, and four game-winners last season, while Zealear, the team's rock in the central defense, was named Defensive MVP.

Freshman Kiki Bosio, named to both the All-WCC First Team and to the All-Freshman team, was named the squad's Rookie of the Year after tallying three goals and assisting on eight others, and being a constant threat in the attacking third.

Kendall Doherty, who saw action on both ends of the pitch and assisted on a pair of goals last season, was named Most Improved, while Bowman, a fifth-year senior who battled back from a pair of knee injuries to become a solid contributor to the team, scoring two goals and assisting on two others in 2006, was named Most Inspirational.