Four Mustangs Named to United Soccer Coaches All-America Team; Five Picked to All-North Region Squad

KANSAS CITY, Mo., December 13, 2018 – The 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer National Champion Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team once again fared well with postseason awards, with four Mustangs being named to the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Women's Division I All-America Team, and five being selected to the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division I Women's All-North Region Team. Marta Alemany, Maria Santin, and Juliana Pires were each named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America First Team, while Alba Gonzalezearned her spot as a Second-Team All-American. All four made the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Team, and were joined by Laia Munoz Danon for the all-region honor. Alemany was also named an NJCAA Women's Soccer Division I First-Team All-American. Alemany proved herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the nation this season, and was selected as the NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship Tournament Defensive Most Valuable Player. She finished the season with a 16-0-1 record, a .821 save percentage and 0.77 goals-against average. Alemany brought her game to another level at the NJCAA Championships, allowing just two goals in four starts and over 364 minutes, while making 24 saves. Like Alemany, Santin was also picked to the NJCAA All-America First Team. Santin had a season to remember for the Mustangs in her freshman year, leading the team with 23 goals and 48 points, none more significant than the game-winning goal against Tyler in the national championship game. She scored twice during the NJCAA Championships, and totaled six goals throughout postseason play. Santin totaled four goals and an assist in a weekend against then-ranked No. 10 Monroe Community College and No. 1 Eastern Florida State, earning NJCAA Player of the Week honors. Her efforts throughout the national tournament landed her on the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team. Pires enjoyed a spectacular sophomore campaign for the Mustangs. She finished second on the team with 44 points, accumulating 18 goals and eight assists in 17 games. Pires netted four game-winning goals throughout the season. She had an incredible run in the middle of the season that saw her score nine goals and total 23 points in a trio of wins against Harcum College, ASA College and Mercer County Community College. Pires tallied at least two points in 10 games this season. Gonzalez had a solid season for Monroe, but was able to really flash her talent toward the end of the season. She was named to the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team after an outstanding effort at the national tournament. Gonzalez finished with seven goals and six assists for 20 points in 2018. She had a goal in a pool-play victory over Lewis & Clark Community College, but displayed incredible free-kick skills throughout postseason play. Gonzalez sent a perfect free kick into the box in the first half of the national championship game against No. 1 Tyler Junior College, finding the head of Francesca Sullivan, who redirected it over the keeper and into the goal to tie the game up at 1-1. Munoz Danon finished third on the team with 12 goals and 32 points in her freshman campaign. She had a trio of two-goal games this season, including a pair of scores in the Northeast District Championship game win over Harford Community College. Munoz Danon also scored a crucial goal earlier in the season in a 2-2 draw against then No. 1-ranked Eastern Florida State College, and totaled nine points in two games against Region XV rival ASA College. The Mustangs claimed the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship this year, the team's second national title in five seasons. They finished the year unbeaten at 16-0-1. Monroe also claimed the 2018 Region XV Championship, as well as the 2018 Northeast District Championship.