TicketsCINCINNATI -- University of Cincinnati junior defender Ashley Barron earned her second-straight Defensive Player of the Year honor from the AAC, while Vanessa DiNardo and Paige Miller earned Second-Team and All-Rookie honors from the league Wednesday, respectively.
Barron, the preseason pick as well, becomes the first Bearcat to claim the honor twice. Vanessa Gilles, who was a catalyst behind Canada's Olympic gold-medal run this summer, held the same distinction in 2017. Barron's First-Team accolade is her third, joining only Paulette Angilecchia (1994-96 in Great Midwest, Conference USA) in that elite company. Barron, who also notched two assists on the year, was also named to the MAC Hermann Watch List, given annually to the National Player of the Year. Cincinnati allowed just 169 shots this year, its fewest since 2014.
DiNardo was full of fireworks in a breakout senior season, leading UC with nine goals and 19 points, six and 11 ahead of the next. She finished one goal off the AAC standings despite taking 24 fewer shots than the leader, and seven of her nine came in victories or ties, including a career-high two against No. 20 SMU on Senior Day. The Strongsville native had just four over her previous three years and also switched to the No. 3 jersey this season in memory of longtime friend and UC teammate Ally Sidloski.
Miller became the fifth member of the 2021 team to have an All-Rookie spot on her resume, joining Lauren Bastian (2020-21), Barron and Han Tang (2019) and DiNardo (2018). Her three goals and eight points were second on the team and the fourth-most by a freshman in Neil Stafford's nine years as head coach. Seven of her 11 shots were on-target, and she earned starts against Temple and Memphis while appearing in all 17 games (462 minutes).
The trio marks 19 All-Conference honorees under Stafford, plus three league superlative awards.
Barron, the preseason pick as well, becomes the first Bearcat to claim the honor twice. Vanessa Gilles, who was a catalyst behind Canada's Olympic gold-medal run this summer, held the same distinction in 2017. Barron's First-Team accolade is her third, joining only Paulette Angilecchia (1994-96 in Great Midwest, Conference USA) in that elite company. Barron, who also notched two assists on the year, was also named to the MAC Hermann Watch List, given annually to the National Player of the Year. Cincinnati allowed just 169 shots this year, its fewest since 2014.
DiNardo was full of fireworks in a breakout senior season, leading UC with nine goals and 19 points, six and 11 ahead of the next. She finished one goal off the AAC standings despite taking 24 fewer shots than the leader, and seven of her nine came in victories or ties, including a career-high two against No. 20 SMU on Senior Day. The Strongsville native had just four over her previous three years and also switched to the No. 3 jersey this season in memory of longtime friend and UC teammate Ally Sidloski.
Miller became the fifth member of the 2021 team to have an All-Rookie spot on her resume, joining Lauren Bastian (2020-21), Barron and Han Tang (2019) and DiNardo (2018). Her three goals and eight points were second on the team and the fourth-most by a freshman in Neil Stafford's nine years as head coach. Seven of her 11 shots were on-target, and she earned starts against Temple and Memphis while appearing in all 17 games (462 minutes).
The trio marks 19 All-Conference honorees under Stafford, plus three league superlative awards.