Just a day before the start of the Atlantic 10 Championship, the conference released its All-Conference women's soccer teams and major award winners on Wednesday, as voted upon by the league's coaches. Five Rams heard their names called in the release, the most-ever for Fordham in their 20 years in the conference.
Fordham was led by
Jessica Widmann (East Meadow, N.Y.), who was named First Team All-Atlantic 10, while a trio of Rams,
Kristina Maksuti (Delmar, N.Y.),
Nicole Bates (Basking Ridge, N.J.), and
Ally Doyle (Fairfield, Conn.), were named Second Team All-Atlantic 10.
Brooke Salmon (West Hempstead, N.Y.) was selected to the conference's All-Rookie Team, as well as Bates earning All-Academic Team honors in a vote of the conference's sports information directors.
Widmann has had an outstanding final campaign with the Rams, leading the team in goals (11), assists (5), and points (27), while tying for the team-lead in game-winning goals with five. The 11 goals and 27 points are tied for the fourth-most by a Ram in a single season. She earned Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Week honors once this year, and climbed into top six all-time at Fordham in career goals (T7th – 18), assists (T2nd – 14), points (7
th – 50), and games started (T3rd – 72). Widmann is Fordham's first First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection since Katie McDermott in 2010.
After working her way back from multiple injuries and missing the majority of two seasons, Maksuti return to form as one of the top forwards in the conference, netting seven goals and three assists for 17 points. Most of her goal production came when it counted most as five of her seven goals this season were game-winning goals, giving her 12 in her career. She currently stands fourth on the Rams' career goals (24) and points (59) list and tied for ninth in assists (11).
Bates and Doyle anchored the Rams' defense, as it set the school record for shutouts in a season with 10. The Rams allowed less than a goal per game at 0.83, which is on pace to break the 2007 team record of 0.84. Offensively, both Bates and Doyle added one assist on the year, while academically, Bates holds a 3.83 GPA, majoring in Applied Accounting & Finance and is a two-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
Salmon quickly found her way into the Rams' starting line-up as a freshman, starting 17 of 19 games this season. While sharing corner kick duties for most of the year, she registered one assist on offense, which came in the Princeton game, while contributing to all 10 shutouts defensively. She becomes Fordham's first All-Rookie Team selection since Maksuti in 2011.
The quintet of Rams will look for some more hardware, starting Thursday, as the Rams open the Atlantic 10 Championship against the #4 seed VCU Rams at 1:30 PM in Davidson, N.C. The first two rounds of the championship can be seen on the Atlantic 10 Digital Network, free of charge, while the championship game will be televised live on the American Sports Network. Check your local listings for channel availability.
