BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The accolades continue to pour in from Lehigh’s record-setting season on the soccer field as goalkeeper Julie Kafka was named to the Freshman All-America first team announced Friday by the internet magazine Soccer Buzz. Kafka, who was recently named to the All-Region second team and All-Mid-Atlantic freshman team, becomes the first ever Mountain Hawk to earn Freshman All-America recognition from Soccer Buzz.
The Baltimore native established herself as one of the nation’s top keepers in 2005, posting a 13-2-2 record with a Patriot League record low 0.27 goals against average. Kafka ranked third nationally in goals against average and led the nation with a .946 save percentage. She also set a school record with 12 shutouts this season, as she was named both the Patriot League’s Co-Goalkeeper and Co-Rookie of the Year.
Kafka started all but one game in goal for the Mountain Hawks, serving as the backbone of a defensive unit that allowed just five goals in 2005, the fewest in all of Division I women’s soccer.
Soccer Buzz announced all of its national awards on Friday. Portland’s Christine Sinclair won her second national Player of the Year award, while Notre Dame’s Kerri Hanks was honored as the national Freshman of the Year.
Lehigh was also honored for its work in the classroom this week as the Mountain Hawks were recipients of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award for the 2004-05 school year. To be recognized a team must post a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The Mountain Hawks team GPA of 3.31 made them one of four Patriot League squads among the 248 women’s programs nationally that were honored.
