November 4, 2004

Nikki Dudley	Seraphine Hamilton
Pria Young	Jenn Tibbens
Laura Burnett-Kurie	Steph Gridley

GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College soccer team collected seven All-Liberty League honors this afternoon as voted by the League’s coaches. First-year forward Laura Burnett-Kurie (Oyster River/Durham, N.H.) grabbed a pair of awards, garnering Rookie of the Year and second-team honors.

Earning first-team honors were junior midfielder Steph Gridley (Auburn/Auburn, N.Y.) and junior defenders Seraphine Hamilton (The Peddie School/Trenton, N.J.) and Pria Young (Council Rock/Richboro, Pa.), while senior defender Jenn Tibbens (Sherburne-Earlville/Sherburne, N.Y.) and sophomore goalkeeper Nikki Dudley (Chittenango/Canastota, N.Y.) joined Burnett-Kurie on the second-team.

A two-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Burnett-Kurie led William Smith in scoring with six goals, all of which were game-winners, and three assists for 15 points. She scored at least one point in over half of the Herons’ games. She was named to the Heron Cup All-Tournament team after notching the winning goals against Geneseo and Allegheny.

A 2003 All-Liberty League second-team honoree, Gridley leads William Smith with four assists. She provided a season-best two assists in a win over Geneseo. A three-year starter, she was second on the team in scoring in 2003 with 17 points and has amassed 12 goals and 12 assists during her three seasons.

Hamilton has anchored a William Smith defense that has allowed just six goals all season, while posting 10 shutouts, including a span of seven consecutive. Capturing first-team recognition for the second consecutive season, she was named the Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week twice and was selected as the Most Valuable Defensive Player in both the Heron Cup and Red Dragon Invitational. An integral part of a defense that allows less than four shots on goal per game, she has helped the Herons post 34 shutouts, while allowing just 40 goals.

A three-year starter as an outside back, Young has provided the Herons with steady defense and a scoring punch as well. Part of a backline that has sacrificed just six goals and has earned 10 shutouts, she also has tallied a goal and two assists. Tallying her first career goal against Clarkson, Young has amassed 15 points off of 13 assists and one goal during her three seasons.

Tibbens also has been a major part of William Smith’s suffocating defense. A starter in all but one game over the past three seasons, Tibbens has been a part of a defense that has posted 34 shutouts, while allowing just 40 goals. She excels in the classroom as well, earning CoSIDA Academic All-District I first-team honors the past two years.

The trio of Hamilton, Tibbens, and Young helped William Smith advance to the national semifinals in 2002 and were key members of the 2003 squad that captured the ECAC Northeast Championship.

The 2003 Liberty League Rookie of the Year, Dudley is second in the League in goals against average (0.36) and shutouts (10), and fourth in saves (59). She posted six consecutive shutouts, spanning 565:16, and has allowed just one goal in the past seven contests. A starter in every game the past two seasons, she has earned 20 shutouts and sports an impressive 0.62 goals against average.

The 24th-ranked Herons (12-2-2) will begin their quest for a 17th berth in the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 5, in the Liberty League Tournament hosted by top seed Hamilton College. Earning the third seed, William Smith will take on second seed and 14th-ranked Union College at 1:30 p.m. The winner advances to the championship game on Nov. 6, at 1 p.m., for the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

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