NORTON, MA- Wheaton College women's soccer standout Erin
Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) was named to a National
Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas NCAA Division
III All-America team for the second straight season, placing on the
first squad for the initial time. She was also selected for the
D3Kicks.com All-America first team, extending Wheaton's streak of
players receiving All-America accolades to nine years, during which
time Lyons have drawn 13 awards.
Davis, a senior tri-captain who was named to the NSCAA second
team following her junior season, joined Erin Duffy
'05 as the only Wheaton backs to earn multiple All-America
accolades. Duffy and Beth Caromile '05 had been
the most recent Lyons selected to the first team, in 2004.
As one of only 12 backs from around the nation to draw laurels
from the NSCAA and D3Kicks.com combined, and one of only six to
receive honors from both organizations, Davis was the lone defender
from a New England school to receive attention. She was one of
three players from the region out of 11 NSCAA first-team
selections, and among just five players out of 34 All-Americans to
hail from a New England institution. Davis was one of two New
England players on D3Kicks.com's 11-player first team, and among
five from the region out of 33 All-Americans. Davis was the only
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) player
to draw an honor from either organization.
Davis, the fourth Lyon to corral more than one All-America
award, was critical to Wheaton's success this season, as the
defensive anchor helped her squad yield only nine goals in 24 games
while posting a 0.37 goals against average, .868 save percentage
and 16 shutouts. The Blue and White finished 22-1-1 overall,
advancing to its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament, and posted a
9-0 mark in NEWMAC play. Wheaton won both the conference's regular
season and postseason crowns.
It was also a breakout season offensively for Davis, as three of
her career-high four goals came on penalty kicks, and her
team-leading 14 assists were the second-highest total in the league
and tied for third in program history. She will graduate seventh at
Wheaton with 32 career helpers and came within three games of
becoming the second Lyon to appear in 100 contests.
Davis' All-America honors were among a number of accolades she
received this season, as the NEWMAC Player of the Year landed on
the all-conference first team and NSCAA All-New England first team.
She was also selected to appear in the New England Women's
Intercollegiate Soccer Association (NEWISA) Senior Bowl and
received an ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division
All-District I citation for the third straight year.
During her four-year career, Davis helped the Lyons to an 84-9-6
mark and 70 shutouts, as she started 94 of the 97 contests in which
she appeared, missing only two games. Wheaton yielded 51 goals in
nearly 9,100 minutes for a 0.51 GAA but was even better in NEWMAC
play, as Davis anchored a defense that surrendered 16 goals in more
than 4,400 minutes for a 0.33 GAA. Davis' teams never suffered a
conference setback, as the Lyons went 44-0-4 with 36 shutouts
against NEWMAC foes during her career. She was a member of four
teams that went to the NCAA Tournament and won the regular season
conference title, and three that won the league tournament crown.
Wheaton completed the season ranked 12th nationally by the
NSCAA, recording at least 20 victories for the eighth time in nine
years. The Lyons finished atop the regular season league standings
for the ninth consecutive year while winning their seventh NEWMAC
Tournament in eight seasons. Entering next season, the Blue and
White carries an 88-game league unbeaten streak, the longest active
run in NCAA soccer.
The NSCAA/adidas All-America teams are determined through voting
by NSCAA member coaches. The honorees will be invited to the NSCAA
All-America luncheon, which will be held on Saturday, January 19,
as part of the 61st annual NSCAA convention in Baltimore.