BOSTON – The Vermont women's soccer program, the 2021 America East Regular Season Champions, had Ella Bankert, Lydia Kessel and its coaching staff honored as major America East award winners Tuesday afternoon. The major award winners were determined in a vote by the league's nine head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own players.

RELATED LINKS
America East Interview: Bankert & Kessel
 
Ella Bankert was named Midfielder of the Year, Lydia Kessel was named Goalkeeper of the Year and UVM's coaching staff led by Kristi Huizenga was honored as Coaching Staff of the Year. It is the first time in program history that a UVM student-athlete in women's soccer has been honored as Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year.

Bankert is the first Vermont player to win an America East major positional award. She led a midfield that helped Vermont obtain a league-best +10 goal differential in league play. She was named America East Offensive Player of the Week on October 25 after picking up two assists in UVM's 3-1 win over UMBC that clinched the program's second-ever regular season title. This season she is tied for fifth on the team in scoring with six points. She also earned first-team All-America East and All-Academic honors.

Kessel leads the conference averaging 6.4 saves per game. She was at her best in conference play, ranking first in save percentage (.903), third in GAA (.646) and tied for second in shutouts (4). Kessel posted her shutouts during four consecutive games a part of UVM's current seven-game win streak. In total, including portions of six games Kessel went 395 minutes and one second without giving up a goal. She was also named the first-team All-Conference goalkeeper and an All-Academic selection.

Led by Coach Huizenga in her 11th season, Vermont captured its second-ever regular season title. Huizenga is assisted by Michael Skelton and Gene Bushey. UVM will be the top seed for the conference tournament for just the second time. It was UVM's first 10-win regular season campaign since 1996. Vermont has won its last seven conference games and rides a seven-game winning streak into the America East Championship.

The Catamounts also had several players honored on the All-Conference teams. Alyssa Oviedo, Ella Banker, Alex West and Lydia Kessel were honored on the First Team. It is the first time since 1997 that UVM has had two members on the First Team. Before this season the most UVM had placed on the first team in a single season was three in 1991 and 1992.

Senior defender Natalie Durieux was named to the All-Conference Second Team. She is the first Catamount defender to receive that honor since Casey Garfinkel in 2018. Bailey Ayer and Maddy Cronin were named to the All-Rookie team. Four current Catamounts – Alyssa Oviedo, Ella Bankert, Abbey Knobel and Karen Wallace were named to the All-Rookie team in their first year campaigns.

UVM will face the No. 4 seed UAlbany in the America East semifinals, the matchup is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 4. Tickets for the semifinal are $8 for adults, $5 for youth ages 14 and under and $2 for non-UVM America East students with a valid school ID. UVM students will receive free admission. BUY NOW
 
2021 AMERICA EAST WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
First Team
Forward Jasmine Colbert UAlbany Sr. Freehold, N.J. 
Forward Ioanna Papatheodorou UMass Lowell Fr. Nea Erithraia, Greece
Forward Francesca Picicci New Hampshire Sr. North Massapequa, N.Y.
Forward Alyssa Oviedo Vermont Sr. Clifton, N.J.
Midfielder Ella Bankert Vermont Gr. Cuttingsville, N.Y. 
Midfielder Emily Nelson UMass Lowell Sr. Peabody, Mass.
Midfielder Olivia Piraino UAlbany So. Niskayuna, N.Y.
Defender Dunja Mostarac UMass Lowell Sr. Belgrade, Serbia
Defender Kelly Severini Hartford So. Union, N.J. 
Defender Alex West Vermont Sr. New York, N.Y.
Goalkeeper Lydia Kessel Vermont Sr. Wading River, N.Y.
 
Second Team
Forward Maya Anand Binghamton Jr. Leesburg, Va.
Forward Alyssa Francese Stony Brook Gr. Yorktown Heights, N.Y. 
Forward Chloe Layne Hartford So. Wrentham, Mass.
Midfielder Chelsie DePonte Stony Brook Gr. Honolulu, Hawaii
Midfielder Anna Hewlett New Hampshire So. Webster, N.Y.
Midfielder Olivia McKnight Binghamton Jr. Apalachin, N.Y. 
Midfielder Victoria McKnight Binghamton Jr. Apalachin, N.Y. 
Defender Natalie Durieux Vermont Sr. Williston, Vt.
Defender Siani Magruder NJIT Sr. Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
Defender Nicole Scudero Binghamton Sr. Hauppauge, N.Y.
Goalkeeper Molly Saylor NJIT Jr. South Park, Pa.
 
All-Rookie Team 
Name School Class Position Hometown
Bailey Ayer Vermont Fr. Midfielder Andover, Conn.
Caroline Caputo NJIT Fr. Midfielder/Forward Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Cassie Coster UAlbany Fr. Goalkeeper Poughquag, N.Y.
Maddy Cronin Vermont Fr. Defender Atlanta, Ga.
Peyton Gilmore Binghamton Fr. Forward Mullica Hill, N.J.
Meghan Guarente New Hampshire Fr. Midfielder Sewll, N.J.
Imani Jenkins Hartford So. Forward Middletown, Conn.
Abby Kraemer Maine Fr. Forward Waterloo, Ont. 
Chloe Layne Hartford So. Forward Wrentham, Mass.
Ioanna Papatheodorou UMass Lowell Fr. Forward Nea Erithraia, Greece
Kelly Severini Hartford So. Defender Union, N.J.
 
All-Academic Team 
Ella Bankert Vermont Gr. 3.91 Dietetics, Nutrition & Food Science
Chelsie DePonte Stony Brook Gr. 3.96 UG Business Management
Alexis Doran Hartford Gr. 3.98 Physical Therapy/Psychology
Abigail Drezek UMass Lowell Gr. 3.96 UG Exercise Science
Alyssa Francese Stony Brook Gr. 3.85 UG Business Management
Lydia Kessel Vermont Sr. 3.59 Exercise Science
Dunja Mostarac UMass Lowell Sr. 3.69 Business Administration
Emily Nelson UMass Lowell Sr. 3.66 Biomedical Engineering
Maia Perez Hartford Gr. 3.73 Psychology/Criminal Justice
Francesca Picicci New Hampshire Sr. 3.73 Exercise Science
Julianna Rafaniello UMBC Jr. 3.82 Media & Communication Studies
Molly Saylor NJIT Jr. 3.80 Civil Engineering