For Immediate Release
January 20, 2012
Courtesy of the Saint Rose Athletics Communications Staff
Albany, N.Y. – Laurie Darling Gutheil, who just completed her 16th season as head women's soccer coach at The College of Saint Rose, has been named the 2011 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Mondo NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. The announcement was made as part of the annual NSCAA Awards Banquet, held in conjunction with the 2011 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City.
It is the second time in three years that Darling Gutheil has garnered this prestigious award. Her credentials speak for themselves and this latest award justifies her standing as one of the nation's elite college soccer mentors at any level.
The Golden Knights won the first team national title in school annals this past year when they upended two-time defending national champion and top-ranked Grand Valley State (MI) 2-1 in Pensacola, FL. Saint Rose also tied a school-record with 24 victories (24-1-1) this autumn and has now gone 110-8-6 (.911) throughout the past five seasons.
The Golden Knights also led the nation with 3.46 goals per-game and wound up 10th behind a 0.493 team goals-against-average on the strength of 16 shutouts. Furthermore, they won their fifth straight Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Championship, made their ninth NCAA Tournament appearance within the past 10 years, and advanced to national semifinals for the fourth straight season.
Saint Rose additionally outscored its opponents by a 90-13 margin, allowed a mere three second half goals all year, and generated 214 corner kicks, while yielding only 60.
The Golden Knights were additionally recognized by the NSCAA with a team academic award for the 11th straight year. Also, sophomore forward Carmelina Puopolo received her Player of the Year and All-America awards, while senior midfielder Christina Cuffari and sophomore midfielder Sydney Bond were also honored with their All-America awards at the banquet.
