BOSTON – From Andover, Connecticut, senior Bailey Ayer has been named the America East Midfielder of the Year, collecting the honor as the second Catamount to receive the award in the last four years. The league announced its major awards on Tuesday afternoon
 
RELATED LINKS
America East Release
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"We could not be happier for Bailey to receive this special honor, especially in a year where the America East is so loaded with talent," said Head Coach Kristi Huizenga. "She is one of the hardest working, most humble players I have had the pleasure of coaching, and she has set such an amazing example for those around her. Her commitment to consistently training at the highest level has undoubtedly set her up for the very successful season that she had statistically, but the best thing about her isn't even her stats. She is a true two-way midfielder who showcases work-ethic and creativity at its finest. Vermont really is a soccer state and we're proud to have had a player like her for our youth players to look up to."
 
AYER RECOGNITION
Ayer picks up the award for leagues top midfielder, while also earning All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team honors. The Andover, Connecticut native led the Catamounts in goals (12), assists (4), points (28), shots (64), shots on goal (26), and game-winning goals (2). Vermont was unbeaten in matches where Ayer recorded a goal, posting a 5-0-4 record in the nine matches Ayer found the back of the net in. Ayer recorded two separate multi-goal games, recording a brace in a 3-0 win vs UAlbany, and scoring the first hat-trick since 2005 in a 5-0 win vs Siena, the only player in America East to record a hat-trick this season. Ayer's seven-point performance vs the Saints was the most points scored in a single match this season out of the entire league, coming one-point shy of tying the UVM all-time record for most points in a single game, a record set during the 1998 season, earning her the week 4 America East Offensive Player of the Week honor. Ayer was also tied for the most shots in a single game throughout the entire America East, firing off 10 shots in Vermont's regular season finale vs Bryant, a career high for her in that department.
 
Ayer solidified herself into the Vermont Women's Soccer record books this season in numerous categories. Her 12 goals on the campaign are tied for second all-time for most goals in a single season, coming up one goal shy of tying the all-time record set in 2004 (13). Ayer's 28 points this season was good for third most points in a single season of all-time in UVM women's soccer history while her four assists on the season put her at 14 total career assists, tied for fifth all-time for most career assists in program history. Her 52 career points round out the top ten all-time for most career-points, sitting at ninth all-time. Ayer played 4942 total minutes in a Vermont uniform, the sixth most minutes played by any Vermont women's soccer player ever.
 
CONFERENCE/NATIONAL RANKINGS
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Ayer consistently established herself as the best goal scorer in not only the America East, but one of the best two-way midfielder players in the entire country. Week in and week out, Ayer topped the conference charts in goals and points, finishing the regular season having the most goals (12) and points (28) out of the entire America East, while finishing with the second most shots (64) in the conference and the fourth most shots on goal (26). She also led the league in goals per game (0.67) and points per game (1.56). At one point in the season, Ayer was tied for the second most goals throughout the entire United States. For the duration of the season, folks could routinely find Ayer ranked in the Nation's top 20 for goals and points, finishing the regular season ranked 17th in the country with her 12 goals and 22nd in the country with her 28 total points.
 
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