<p>Meggie Curran and Shelly Moeller became the program's first First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selections. </p>
<p>Dec. 8, 2006</p>
<p>MISSION, Kan. - Four Navy women's soccer players have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) 2006 All-Mid-Atlantic Region Team announced recently, including senior Meggie Curran (Silver Spring, Md.) who is making her second appearance on the team. It is the first time in program history that Navy has put more than two players on the all-region squad. </p>
<p>"It is a big honor for our program and our players to earn recognition at this level," said Navy head coach Carin Gabarra, who led the Mids to their second NCAA Tournament appearance and a school-record 21 wins this fall. "It means that the coaches in our region have taken notice of the talent we have here at the Academy and they want to honor the players accordingly." </p>
<p>Curran, a three-time All-Patriot League selection and the 2006 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, was named to the All-Mid-Atlantic Region's first team, as was 2006 Patriot League Co-Defensive Player of the Year Shelly Moeller (Milford, Ohio). Curran and Moeller are the first two players in program history to earn a spot on the region's first team. </p>
<p>Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.) and Cassie Barbaresi (Bradenton, Fla.), the Patriot League's co-rookie of the year, were named to the All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team. </p>
<p>Eleven different Midshipmen have earned All-Mid-Atlantic Region recognition over the last 14 years, however, it marks just the second time a Navy freshman has earned postseason kudos from the NSCAA. Moeller and Barbaresi join one of the most decorated players in school history, Nicole Aunapu, who was an NSCAA selection all four years of her career, including her rookie campaign in 1995. </p>
<p>Curran, who was named an NSCAA Third-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection a year ago, paced the league in her senior campaign in points (39), goals (12) and assists (15). She led the Mids in all three categories in each of the last three years. She finished the season ranked sixth in the country is assists per game, averaging 0.63 assists per contest, while her 1.63 points per game was the 25th-best average in the nation. Curran closed out her career as the Mids' second all-time leading scorer with 118 points on 38 goals and a program-record 42 assists. The three-year starter not only is the first Navy player to reach 40-plus assists in her career, she is only the third player in Patriot League history to achieve the feat. In addition, she also holds the top two single-season assists marks at the Academy with 15 and 14 in 2006 and '05, respectively. </p>
<p>"Meggie really shined in the big games when we needed her," said Gabarra. "Her mentality and one-on-one ability changed several games." </p>
<p>Moeller emerged as a leader on Navy's record-setting defense in just her first season playing center back. Navy's defensive unit gave up nine goals this fall, including just five during the regular season. The Mids' 0.372 goals-against average was the nation's best and the 14th-lowest GAA in the NCAA record books. In addition, Navy turned in a program-record 19 shutouts in 24 games, the seventh most in the NCAA annals. Meanwhile, the Mids' .790 shutouts per game average was No. 1 in the nation and the fifth-best mark in NCAA history. As a group, Navy played more than 980-straight minutes without surrendering a goal over the course of 12 contests. </p>
<p>"Shelly was an impact player for us," Gabarra added. "Her ability in the air, her defensive mentality and her dominance on set pieces are unmatched." </p>
<p>Named the Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player, Moeller was one of Navy's most explosive players in the air and in particular, on corner kicks. She turned in three assists to accompany her eight goals this fall with seven of the eight goals coming off corners, including four headers. She scored game-winning goals against both Lehigh and Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament. Moeller was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week three times during the season, including Oct. 30 when she made a pair of defensive saves against No. 9 Penn State to lead the Mids to their first victory over a ranked opponent. </p>
<p>Barnes, who is the first Navy goalkeeper to garner all-region recognition, enjoyed a sensational sophomore campaign where she led the nation in goal-against average (0.292) and save percentage (0.933). A First-Team All-Patriot League selection, Barnes earned 13 solo shutouts in 2006, a Navy record, as well as a conference record. She surrendered just six goals during the season, including three during the regular season, while stopping 84 of the 90 shots she faced on goal. A three-time Patriot League Goalkeeper-of-the-Week selection, Barnes stood in goal for 859:23 without giving up a goal between Sept. 17-Oct. 29, a mark that will go down in the NCAA record books as the seventh-longest scoreless streak. Her 93.3 save percentage stands No. 1 in the Navy record books, as does her 0.29 goals-against average (11th in NCAA history). Barnes was instrumental in Navy advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She knocked down a pair of William & Mary penalty kicks to lead the Mids to their first appearance in the second round of the postseason tourney. </p>
<p>In addition to her performance on the field, Barnes also excelled in the classroom where she was recently named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team. An information technology major who carries a 3.68 grade-point average, Barnes was one-of-four keepers to garner Academic All-America honors (36 student-athletes on three teams), but the only net-minder named to the Academic All-America First Team. </p>
<p>"Lizzie was solid all year and really deserved all the recognition she received throughout the season," said Gabarra. </p>
<p>Barbaresi was a First-Team All-Patriot League midfielder who amassed 25 points on six goals and 13 assists in her first season donning a Navy uniform. A product of IMG Soccer Academies in Florida, Barbaresi provided the Midshipmen with a tremendous spark coming off the bench. Three of her six goals were game-winners, including her goal to lead the Mids past the SEC's LSU. She paced the league's freshmen in points (1.14 ppg), assists (0.59 apg) and goals (0.27 gpg). Ranked eighth in the country in assists per game, Barbaresi turned in four multi-assist games, including two three-assist days. Barbaresi earned weekly honors from the Patriot League three times in the first four weeks, twice being named the rookie of the week and once as the offensive player of the week. </p>
<p>"Cassie fit into the Div. I level immediately and changed the flow of the game every time she was on the field," said Gabarra. "Her technical skills on the ball, combined with her dribbling flair gave us a whole new dimension in our attack. </p>
<p>"The recognition is a great way for Meggie to end her career at Navy, and a wonderful start for Shelly and Cassie."</p>