Pittsfield, Mass., native selected to District I third team for second-straight year

RINDGE, N.H. (November 2, 2007) - Franklin Pierce University senior midfielder Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) has earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I third team for women's soccer as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) members in New England and New York.

Giardina's selection marks the seventh-straight year the Franklin Pierce women's soccer team has had an Academic All-District I selection. She is the 22^nd Academic All-District selection in program history overall.

Giardina, an Academic All-District selection for the second-straight year, has earned a 3.345 cumulative grade point average while majoring in business at Franklin Pierce. She is a two-time Northeast-10 Conference All-Academic honoree, earning first team honors this fall. Giardina collected All-NE-10 second team and Daktronics All-New England region honors in 2006.

Giardina has started all 19 matches for Franklin Pierce this fall and is second on the team with ten assists (3^rd NE-10) to go with six goals for 22 points (10^th). She shares the team lead with three match-winning goals and is ranked third on the Ravens in both goals and points. Giardina's eight assists in Conference play this fall leads the team and is good for second in the Conference.

Giardina helped lead the Ravens past then 15^th-ranked University of New Haven on October 16 with a goal and two assists and then netted the match-winning goal in Sunday's 3-0 NE-10 Quarterfinal victory over Saint Anselm College.

The midfielder had a breakout season for Franklin Pierce in 2006, ranking second on the team with seven goals and seven assists for 21 points in 20 matches played (11 starts). In 83 career matches played, Giardina has totaled 14 goals and 24 assists for 52 career points. She is ranked 27^th on the program's career scoring list and is just two assists shy of cracking the program's all-time list in that category.

Giardina also played two seasons on the Franklin Pierce softball team and last spring played women's lacrosse, where she ranked third on the team with 11 goals and five assists for 16 points.

Franklin Pierce (13-1-5, 9-1-4 NE-10), ranked 16^th in this week's National Soccer Coaches' Association (NSCAA)/adidas Division II and third in the New England region, awaits word on its seeding for the NCAA Tournament when bids are announced on Monday, November 5. The Ravens are in great position to earn their NCAA Division II-record 16^th-straight NCAA Tournament bid.