For Immediate Release: November 4, 2004
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton's Leightman named America East Women's Soccer Coach of Year
Five players also honored on eve of conference tournament

America East All-Conference Teams

VESTAL, N.Y.--Seventh-year Binghamton University women's soccer coach Jeff Leightman was honored by his peers Thursday night as America East Coach of the Year after steering the Bearcats (12-5-1) into the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed. On the eve of his team's inaugural appearance in the tournament, Leightman and five players were honored at the awards banquet, held on campus in the Susquehanna Room. Members of the four semifinal teams were on hand, along with America East and Binghamton administrators.

Leightman becomes the eighth Binghamton coach in three seasons to earn the conference's top coaching honor. His 2004 Bearcats were picked to finish eighth in the pre-season poll, but instead went 6-3 in conference play to grab a share of the regular-season title and carry the No. 1 seed into the tournament. In seven years at Binghamton, Leightman is 80-39-10 overall (66%).

“Our kids are really special to me," Leightman said. "This is about them more than anything else. The players dictate everything. They have really worked incredibly hard and all have exhibited a tremendous commitment. They’ve stepped up to every challenge they’ve had to face thus far. This is a team award more than anything
else.”

Senior forward Tatiana Mathelier (Pomona, N.Y.), senior midfielder Deli Plourde (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and junior defender Meghan Taylor (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) earned first team all-conference honors. Senior midfielder Caitlin O'Shaugnessy (Stony Point, N.Y.) was a second team selection, and freshman forward Kim Povill (Massapequa, N.Y.) earned selection on both the all-rookie team as well as the honorable mention all-conference team.

Mathelier, an honorable mention choice last season, has seven goals and four assists, and ranks 10th in the conference in points. She has 22 career goals and 56 career points, despite playing on the back line in 2003.

Plourde has been an outstanding playmaker from the central midfield position for four years, and has stepped up her offensive production this fall with two goals and five assists. She has played 73 of 74 games during her collgiate career.

Taylor has been the defensive anchor for the Beacats since her arrival in 2002, and was an honorable mention all-conference pick in 2002. With Taylor as center back, BU has limited opponents to barely a goal a game in 2004 (21 goals in 18 games). America East opponents have managed just three goals in the last four games. Taylor also has chipped in a goal and an assist on the attack.

O'Shaughnessy joins fellow co-captain and center midfielder Plourde as an all-star after another outstanding season. The competitive and hard-working O'Shaughnessy ranks third on the team with 13 points (4 goals, five assists).

Povill has made an immediate impact this season, leading the team in goals (7), assists (7) and points (21). In the America East, she ranks third in assists per game (0.41), sixth in points per game (1.24), and 10th in goals per game (0.41).

NOTES
After receiving a first-round bye, Binghamton will face No. 5 Northeastern in Friday's 11 a.m. semifinal. Second-seeded Maine will take on No. 3 New Hampshire in the later game. The two winners will meet in Sunday's noon championship game, with the winner earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.