Kristen McCrea of East Weymouth, Mass., Named NSCAA NCAA Division III Women's Soccer All-New England

2016 Dec 4

Kristen McCrea is one of three WPI women's soccer student-athletes to be honored as an NSCAA NCAA Division III Women's All-New England Region Team selection, as recently announced.

McCrea, the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, was placed on the first team while sophomore Gabi Hoops and junior Susannah Gray were named to the second team. Gray previously joined McCrea on the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team as Hoops, the NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, was placed on the second team.

The only rookie to appear on the top two regional teams, McCrea boasted Engineer-bests of 11 assists, 21 points and four game-winners following the NEWMAC Women's Soccer Championship. The tournament's most outstanding player, scored the double OT game-ender versus Springfield in the semifinal and added a pair of assists versus MIT in the title match. She is only the second NSCAA All-America selection in program history, joining Emily Doherty '16.

Hoops led the NEWMAC in save percentage (.904), fewest goals (seven) and a .34 goals against average in 1879:18 minutes played. Her GAA is ranked ninth and save percentage is 10th in Division III ahead of this weekend's NCAA Women's Soccer Championship semifinals and finals. Hoops (16-2-3) also stopped 66 shots and registered 11 clean sheets, including the NCAA first round tie versus Trinity. She only allowed one goal in the month of October and again in November.

Gray, a co-captain and defensive-minded midfielder, totaled four goals and nine points in 2016. She scored the game-winner in the season opener at Suffolk and against Wheaton. She had been an All-NEWMAC second teamer in 2014 and 2015.

Women's Soccer (16-2-3) set the program-record for wins this season, won the NEWMAC regular-season and tournament titles and secured the program's first NCAA Tournament berth for fourth year head coach Steph Schafer. Other firsts included hosting a NEWMAC playoff game, winning a NEWMAC playoff game and hosting the NEWMAC Championship weekend. Schafer and assistants Danielle Parenteau and Maddie (Willer) DeClerck '14 were collectively named the NSCAA Division III New England Women's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year.

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Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Projects Program. There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.