TicketsCINCINNATI - The American Athletic Conference today announced its annual awards for women's soccer with two member of the University of Cincinnati program earning recognition for their performances throughout the 2018 season. Honored this year were senior Jill Vetere, who earned AAC Second Team All-Conference, and freshman Vanessa DiNardo, who was a unanimous selection the All-Rookie Team. Both of the speedy, frontline players were selected by votes from all 10 of the conference coaches following the end of the regular season Sunday.
Vetere recently completed her second year with the Bearcats after transferring to UC from Louisville ahead of the 2016 season. A product of nearby Mason High School, she led the team in scoring with 16 points on six goals and four assists to close out her collegiate career in her home town.
"I'm really happy for Jill to receive this recognition," Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "Jill has represented the program and university incredibly well on and off the field and in and out of the classroom. Jill is a very intelligent soccer player with the ball and has a tireless work ethic. She has been a great role model for everyone in the program."
DiNardo, who hails from Strongsville, Ohio, added a great deal of pace to the Bearcats attack in 2018 as she scored one goal and added one assist while creating issues for opposing defenses. Tied for the team lead in scoring among rookies, DiNardo certainly stood out to the opposing coaches as she was a unanimous selection to the rookie squad.
"I'm really proud of Vanessa to be one of three unanimous selections for the All-Rookie Team," Stafford said. "Vanessa is a talented young woman who has the ability to continue to develop as she understands the game on deeper levels. Her work-rate has improved to match her skills and I'm excited about her impact on the program moving forward."
// MORE ON VETERE
Although her senior season did not end the way she had hoped, Vetere strung together an impressive final campaign as she led the team in points (16), goals (6) and assists (4) with her helper total ranking 10th among all players in the AAC at the end of the regular season. In fact, all three of those totals were career highs. Her points more than doubled her previous best of seven (2 goals, 3 assists) in 2016 with Louisville while her assists better that trio of helpers from 2016 as well. As for goals, her six this year doubled her previous season high of three scored last year in her UC debut. Playing the fourth-highest total of minutes in 2018 (1,327), Vetere notched the game-winner in overtime against Northern Kentucky in the annual Riverboat Rivalry and also assisted on the overtime winner against Lipscomb.
Vetere is no stranger to being honored by the league in 2018 as she was selected for weekly awards three times during the season. She was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 17, one day after helping UC to back-to-back 2-1 wins over Lipscomb and LSU, respectively, as UC was down, 1-0, at the half in both matches. She also was twice selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.
// MORE ON DINARDO
DiNardo had a strong showing in her debut season as she appeared in 17 of the team's 18 matches and earned a starting bid 10 times. She ended the season with three points on one goal and one assist, tying for fifth on the team in scoring. One of eight Bearcats to score at least one goal and add one assist on the year, she tied for the lead in scoring among freshmen as well.
Playing the most minutes of any rookie at UC this year (987), DiNardo's pace up front led to numerous scoring chances for herself and her teammates and continually disrupted the defense ahead of her. She tallied her first point in similar fashion as she helped set up the game-winning goal in overtime against Lipscomb as she skillfully back-heeled a pass to Vetere, who crossed into the box for Sophie Gorman, who scored the winner. DiNardo opened her scoring account in the final home weekend of 2018 as she found the net against Temple in 2-2 draw, hitting a pass from Vetere out of the air and into the net as she rushed in from the top of the box.
// HISTORICAL FACTS
Both selections added to historical figures for the Bearcats. Vetere's accolade gave UC at least one second-team honoree for the sixth year in a row, adding at least one individual to list every year the league has existed. Similarly, DiNardo's selection gives UC at least one rookie honor in each of the first six years of the conference.
Vetere's selection to the second team is the seventh earned in the AAC era for the Bearcats and the 26th overall in the history of the program. When looking at the rookie team, DiNardo collected the ninth AAC honor in program history and the 18th overall.
// 2018 AAC Awards
Second Team All-Conference
Jill Vetere
All-Rookie Team
Vanessa DiNardo *
* unanimous selection
Vetere recently completed her second year with the Bearcats after transferring to UC from Louisville ahead of the 2016 season. A product of nearby Mason High School, she led the team in scoring with 16 points on six goals and four assists to close out her collegiate career in her home town.
"I'm really happy for Jill to receive this recognition," Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "Jill has represented the program and university incredibly well on and off the field and in and out of the classroom. Jill is a very intelligent soccer player with the ball and has a tireless work ethic. She has been a great role model for everyone in the program."
DiNardo, who hails from Strongsville, Ohio, added a great deal of pace to the Bearcats attack in 2018 as she scored one goal and added one assist while creating issues for opposing defenses. Tied for the team lead in scoring among rookies, DiNardo certainly stood out to the opposing coaches as she was a unanimous selection to the rookie squad.
"I'm really proud of Vanessa to be one of three unanimous selections for the All-Rookie Team," Stafford said. "Vanessa is a talented young woman who has the ability to continue to develop as she understands the game on deeper levels. Her work-rate has improved to match her skills and I'm excited about her impact on the program moving forward."
// MORE ON VETERE
Although her senior season did not end the way she had hoped, Vetere strung together an impressive final campaign as she led the team in points (16), goals (6) and assists (4) with her helper total ranking 10th among all players in the AAC at the end of the regular season. In fact, all three of those totals were career highs. Her points more than doubled her previous best of seven (2 goals, 3 assists) in 2016 with Louisville while her assists better that trio of helpers from 2016 as well. As for goals, her six this year doubled her previous season high of three scored last year in her UC debut. Playing the fourth-highest total of minutes in 2018 (1,327), Vetere notched the game-winner in overtime against Northern Kentucky in the annual Riverboat Rivalry and also assisted on the overtime winner against Lipscomb.
Vetere is no stranger to being honored by the league in 2018 as she was selected for weekly awards three times during the season. She was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 17, one day after helping UC to back-to-back 2-1 wins over Lipscomb and LSU, respectively, as UC was down, 1-0, at the half in both matches. She also was twice selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.
// MORE ON DINARDO
DiNardo had a strong showing in her debut season as she appeared in 17 of the team's 18 matches and earned a starting bid 10 times. She ended the season with three points on one goal and one assist, tying for fifth on the team in scoring. One of eight Bearcats to score at least one goal and add one assist on the year, she tied for the lead in scoring among freshmen as well.
Playing the most minutes of any rookie at UC this year (987), DiNardo's pace up front led to numerous scoring chances for herself and her teammates and continually disrupted the defense ahead of her. She tallied her first point in similar fashion as she helped set up the game-winning goal in overtime against Lipscomb as she skillfully back-heeled a pass to Vetere, who crossed into the box for Sophie Gorman, who scored the winner. DiNardo opened her scoring account in the final home weekend of 2018 as she found the net against Temple in 2-2 draw, hitting a pass from Vetere out of the air and into the net as she rushed in from the top of the box.
// HISTORICAL FACTS
Both selections added to historical figures for the Bearcats. Vetere's accolade gave UC at least one second-team honoree for the sixth year in a row, adding at least one individual to list every year the league has existed. Similarly, DiNardo's selection gives UC at least one rookie honor in each of the first six years of the conference.
Vetere's selection to the second team is the seventh earned in the AAC era for the Bearcats and the 26th overall in the history of the program. When looking at the rookie team, DiNardo collected the ninth AAC honor in program history and the 18th overall.
// 2018 AAC Awards
Second Team All-Conference
Jill Vetere
All-Rookie Team
Vanessa DiNardo *
* unanimous selection