UCI’s Goodson named Defender of the Year

CoCo Goodson was named the Big West Conference Defender of the Year for the second year in a row and led five from the UC Irvine women’s soccer team who earned first-team honors.

The Anteaters matched last year’s All-Big West team by having seven selected in 2011 as well. UCI’s Cami Privett was named Big West Freshman of the Year.

Goodson has scored three goals and assisted on five others. She manned the backline with fellow defender and first-team All-Big West member Sarah Devine, allowing just 18 goals in 20 matches. Goodson also joins Devine on the All-Big West first team for her second season, while Devine earned first-team honors for her first time. The pair each started in all 20 matches in the regular season. Devine added a goal and two assists.

Joining Goodson and Devine on the first team were forwards Lexi Kopf and Natalia Ledezma. Kopf leads the ‘Eaters with five game-winning goals in a season that has seen her score 11 times with one assist. This is also her second selection after being named honorable mention in 2010. Ledezma, who was the only sophomore on the first team, is slowly climbing up the UCI records with 12 goals, three game-winners and eight assists.

The final selection was senior midfielder Judy Christopher. For Christopher, it is her third straight All-Big West selection, each time she was named to the first team. Christopher becomes the second Anteater to ever be named a three-time first-teamer joining Nicole Bucciarelli who did it from 1996-98. Christopher started all 20 matches with four assists. Her physical presence as a captain has been a factor for 82 matches and 81 starts in her illustrious career, one behind the Anteater record in each category.

Privett scored five times, two of them game-winners, and assisted on four others. Privett, a midfielder, is currently third on the club in goals and also stands in third with 14 assists. She becomes the first women’s soccer player named Big West Freshman of the Year and earned All-Big West second-team honors after playing in 19 matches and starting in 12.

Privett was joined by goalkeeper Jennifer Randazzo, as two of the three freshmen named All-Big West. Privett was the only freshman named to the second team. Randazzo was All-Big West honorable mention after starting in all 20 matches and playing in over 1,800 minutes. She stopped 17 shots recording a goals-against-average of 0.89 in a season that included 14 wins and eight shutouts, six of them were solo efforts.

The Anteaters play host to the University of San Diego Friday night at 7 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

— From staff reports