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SOMERSET, N.J. (Nov. 3, 2011) – Saint Francis University nabbed three of the five major Northeast Conference women's soccer postseason honors for the second year in a row as the dynamic duo of junior Tesa McKibben (Cogan Station, Pa./Montoursville) and sophomore Alecia McNiff (Marietta, Pa./Donegal ) were voted NEC Player of the Year and NEC Defender of the Year, respectively. McKibben also earned the NEC Golden Boot of the Year honor for leading the league in goals, while her coach, Brenda van Stralen, was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year.

The awards were announced at a banquet on the eve of the 2011 NEC Women's Soccer Tournament, set to begin on Friday, November 4 at host Saint Francis in Loretto. In the semifinals, top-seeded Saint Francis faces off with fourth-seeded Sacred Heart at 12:00 p.m., followed by #2 Long Island taking on #3 seed Monmouth at 2:30 p.m. The championship showdown is scheduled for Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. The winner of the NEC championship will receive the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. First round NCAA action begins on Friday, Nov. 11 at campus sites to be determined.

After missing her freshman year with an injury, McKibben burst onto the scene as a sophomore, leading the league in goals and points en-route to NEC Player of the Year accolades. This season was no different for the junior as she led the league in points (33) and goals (14) for the second year running. She played well under pressure, racking up three game-winners while dishing out five assists in 18 games for the NEC regular season champion Red Flash. In earning her second consecutive Golden Boot honor, McKibben's 14 goals tie her for 18th nationally.  She has been named adidas/NEC Player of the Week four times this season.

McNiff proved to be the perfect compliment to her offensive-minded teammate McKibben all season as she helped Saint Francis to a league best eight shutouts. The sophomore was named adidas/NEC Defender of the Week in October after making a critical defensive stop in the Red Flash's 2-1 win over Monmouth in a first place showdown. McNiff, a first team All-NEC selection a year after earning second team honors, also notched one goal and two assists on the season. The goal represented the game-winner in the Red Flash's victory over on October 16th.

van Stralen earns her second consecutive NEC Coach of the Year accolade after leading the Red Flash to a 12-6-1 record and the first NEC regular season title in school history with an 8-1-1 mark. Since her inaugural season, van Stralen has coached players who have received NEC Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year distinction as well as three Academic All-District honorees. After leading the 2010 squad to an NEC Championship and a near victory over no. 17 Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, there were high expectations entering 2011, but the Red Flash picked up right where they left off and now have a chance to defend their title at home.

In addition to McKibben and McNiff, Saint Francis boasts senior midfielder Traci Flick (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) as a repeat member of the All-NEC first team. Flick, who recorded second team honors her freshman year, has posted two goals and five assists for nine points this fall. 

Rounding out the Red Flash's presence on the All-Conference slate is sophomore midfielder Stephanie Boulter (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) who makes her first appearance on the second team. The sophomore not proved to be critical in the clutch as she recorded three goals during her second year in Loretto, all of which were game-winners. The three game-winning markers places her second in the conference in that category.