November 11, 2010

Sheeleigh Honored as Ivy League Player of the Year

Katherine Sheeleigh ranks 10th in the nation with 1.71 points per game (Gil Talbot).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior forward Katherine Sheeleigh of the Harvard women’s soccer team has been named the Ivy League Player of the Year, the conference office announced Thursday. Sheeleigh becomes the first Crimson player to earn conference player of the year honors since Jessica Larson ’00 received the distinction in 1999.

Sheeleigh was joined on the all-conference first team by junior midfielder Melanie Baskind, junior defender Lindsey Kowal and sophomore forward Alexandra Conigliaro, marking the most first-team selections for the Crimson since 1999.  Senior midfielder Kerry Kartsonis, junior defender Rebecca Millock and freshman midfielder Peyton Johnson garnered All-Ivy League honorable mention. 
 
A finalist for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, Sheeleigh, a native of New Vernon, N.J., has been named to the All-Ivy first team in all four seasons and was the Ancient Eight Rookie of the Year in 2007.  As a senior, she paces the Crimson with nine goals and six assists for 24 points and leads the Ivy League with 0.64 goals and 1.71 points per contest.  Sheeleigh also ranks 10th in the nation in scoring and stands fifth in school history with 31 career goals and sixth with 78 points. Sheeleigh, who is a co-captain for Harvard this season, earns her second selection to the ESPN The Magazine Academic squad, receiving second team honors this year. 

Baskind, who hails from Framingham, Mass., was recently named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team.  She is also now a three-time All-Ivy League honoree and was the conference’s Rookie of the Year in 2008.  This fall, Baskind was named Ivy Player of the Week twice and ranks second on the team with seven goals and 18 points.  She also stands tied for second in the conference in goals and third with 1.12 points per contest.  Baskind set a new career-high with six points (two goals, two assists) in Harvard’s 4-0 win at Princeton Oct. 23. Baskind has moved to a tie for 10th in program history with 51 points and 12th with 17 goals. 

Kowal, an All-Ivy League second team honoree last year and an honorable mention selection in 2008, makes her third appearance on the all-conference squad.  A leader of the Harvard defense, Kowal, a native of East Meadow, N.Y., has started all 16 games this season and has also contributed a goal and an assist for three points.  She netted the game-winning goal on a free kick against Cornell Oct. 9, and helped the Crimson record five shutouts.

Conigliaro, a product of Dedham, Mass., receives her first All-Ivy League nod after posting a career-high four goals and four assists for 12 points.  She tallied a game-winning goal in double overtime against Quinnipiac Oct. 25, and scored the game-winner on a penalty kick against Yale Oct. 2.  Conigliaro has picked up at least one point in six of her last eight games and ranks third on Harvard in scoring.
 
Kartsonis, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., started 11 of the 15 games she has appeared in this fall.  She netted a goal in Harvard’s victory over Cornell and seven of her 10 shots this season have been fired on target.

Millock joins Kowal as the only Harvard players that have started all 16 contests this year.  In addition to her stellar defensive play, Millock, a native of Loudonville, N.Y., managed 12 shots, four of which were on goal. 

Johnson, a product of Catonsville, Md., ranks fourth on the Crimson in scoring with two goals and one assist for five points.  She had three points (1-1-3) in her collegiate debut against Long Island Sept. 3, and also scored a goal at Massachusetts (Sept. 26).  Johnson has started all 14 games she has played in during her rookie campaign. 

Harvard closes out its season at Fairfield Thursday evening at 6 p.m.