Rachel Smith, Angelika Johansson, Amanda Panaro for the women’s team; Victor Goncalves for the men’s team

RINDGE, N.H. (February 4, 2010) – The Franklin Pierce University men’s and women’s soccer teams were honored on Thursday as each team had at least one member named to the 2009 Northeast-10 All-Academic Soccer Teams. Three women’s soccer players were named to the women’s side, including senior back Rachel Smith (Chichester, N.H.), junior forward Angelika Johansson (Falkenberg, Sweden) and sophomore forward Amanda Panaro (Rockland, Mass.). Sophomore midfielder Victor Goncalves (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was named to the men’s team.

To be eligible for selection to the All-Academic Team, student-athletes were required to meet three requirements. Student-athletes must have participated in at least half of their team’s competitions as a starter or significant contributor, achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) and completed at least one academic year at their current institution. The All-Academic Team was chosen by a vote of Northeast-10 Conference Sports Information Directors.

Smith, the 2009 NE-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Year, made the academic team after she posted a cumulative GPA of 3.84 in her major of sports & recreation management and her minor in marketing. It marked the third major academic award of the year for Smith, who was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I First-Team back in the fall, and then earned a spot on the publication’s Academic All-America Second-Team a few weeks later. Smith earned the league’s top defensive player award for the second-straight year this past season and was placed on the all-league first-team. She anchored a Ravens defense which yielded less than a goal a game, as that impressive statistic helped land Smith on the 2009 Daktronics All-America Third-Team.

Johansson, who earned a pair of second-team All-America honors this season, was placed on the conference’s academic team as she has totaled a 3.98 GPA in mathematics. Johansson scored 20 goals and assisted on three others this season for 43 points. She ranked among the league and national leaders in goals and points, and thus was named to the all-league first-team and the Daktronics All-East Region First-Team. Johansson joined Smith on both ESPN The Magazine All-Academic teams, including being named a second-team Academic All-American in late November.

Panaro earned a spot on the league’s academic team for the first time in her career as she posted a 3.47 GPA in her major of mass communications. She finished with four goals and an assist this season for nine points and was named to the All-Northeast-10 Second-Team. Panaro provided solid play during the conference championship and also earned a spot on the league’s All-Tournament Team.

Goncalves was placed on the men’s side as he posted a cumulative GPA of 3.65 in his major of management. He tied for second on the team in goals with six in 2009 and ranked third on the squad with 15 points. Goncalves earned First-Team All-Northeast-10 honors following the regular season and then was recognized by Daktronics as he was placed on its All-East Region Second-Team.

The Franklin Pierce women’s soccer team finished the 2009 season with an 18-5-1 record and a No. 13 national ranking in the NSCAA/adidas Top-25 Poll. The Ravens advanced to the Northeast-10 Championship game for the ninth time in 10 seasons since joining the league in 2000, and earned the program’s NCAA Division II-record 18th-consecutive trip to the national tournament.

The Ravens men’s squad ended the year with a 13-5-3 record and a No. 16 ranking in the national poll. Franklin Pierce advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the seventh-straight season and for the 15th time overall in program history.

For more information on the Franklin Pierce men’s and women’s soccer teams, please visit their respective pages at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.)