Four Different Schools Highlighted in First Big East Women's Soccer Weekly Awards

By the Big East
Posted Monday, August 25, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four different schools have been highlighted in the first BIG EAST women’s soccer weekly awards. Villanova senior midfielder/forward Erin Hardiman has been named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, while Notre Dame senior Carrie Dew has been named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week. St. John’s freshman Kristin Russell has been named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week and Syracuse freshman Casey Ramirez has been named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week.

Hardiman earned BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors following a career-high six-point performance against UMBC on Aug. 24. She scored two goals and had two assists, including a helper on the first goal of the game in the 7th minute. It also is the second straight year she has scored a goal in the season-opener and it upped her career total to six goals and 26 points. This is the first BIG EAST Weekly Award of her career.

Dew earns BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors for the third time in her career following her efforts in a 7-0 blanking of Michigan on Aug. 22. Dew anchored a Notre Dame defense that allowed four shots, including just one shot on goal. It was the fifth consecutive time ND had shut out Michigan with Dew having played in the last four contests. She also earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 25, 2006, as well as Oct. 1, 2007.

Russell was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week after she posted a 90-minute shutout against Fairfield on Aug. 22 by the score of 1-0. The freshman made her first collegiate start and tallied a save in the win for the Red Storm. She was challenged early in the game, but maintained her composure and came out of the net to limit scoring opportunities.

Ramirez scored the game-winning goal as part of a 3-1 Syracuse victory against Albany on Aug. 22 to earn BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors. The freshman’s score came on the first shot of her career and it gave the Orange a two-goal lead. She is the first Syracuse player to earn BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors since Kim Niedzweicki won the award on Sept. 19, 2005.