Birrell named to NEWISA first team

Kaitlyn Birrell earned NEWISA honors for the third consecutive season, picking up first team accolades in 2011.

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University junior Kaitlyn Birrell (Scituate, R.I.) has been named to the 2011 New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association (NEWISA) Division III All-New England First Team, her third straight season with recognition from the organization.

The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) first team forward and offensive player of the year, Birrell set the Salve Regina program record for points in a season, leading the league with 49 points, 19 goals, and 11 assists. In addition, she led the league with an outstanding seven game-winning tallies, including a pair of overtime scores. She collected a point in 14 of the team's 21 contests this year, including a dozen multi-point performance and a pair of hat tricks.

"Katie has proven to be a dominant force on the pitch," said head coach Kerri Scroope. "She is a very skilled player that can do it all. She has set many school records here at Salve Regina already and continues to grow as an athlete and student every day. Katie not only pushes herself to get better, but her teammates as well."

Birrell joins Breann Carello (2005) as the only SRU women's soccer student-athletes to earn NEWISA honors. Additionally, Birrell is one of 13 student-athletes from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) to garner NEWISA honors.

The Seahawks posted a 13-7-1 mark (most wins ever) and qualified for CCC championship tournament for the third-consecutive season in 2011. They hosted Eastern Nazarene in the first round and advanced to the semifinals before being ousted by eventual champion Roger Williams University. In addition, the program earned its first-ever bid to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships and was awarded a home game as the No. 3 Seed.