Jan. 25, 2007
CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Even before the season had ended, honors were pouring in for Villanova junior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.). The list of accolades has grown steadily since then, and culminated with the 103rd Philadelphia Sports Writers Banquet on Monday evening at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, N.J. Loyden was chosen by the Villanova athletic department to be its honoree at Monday's banquet, which honored athletes, coaches and others at its annual event.
The dais at this year's banquet included the likes of National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Howard and Rutgers University football head coach Greg Schiano. Each honoree had their accomplishments read during the program, which included short speeches from several of the guests.
"Having been to other banquets around the country in the last two months, it is that much more meaningful to be honored in the area that I grew up," Loyden said. "Philadelphia is a great sports town and I am honored to be recognized by the Sports Writers Association."
Loyden's list of accomplishments is an impressive one. This season she became the first women's soccer play in school history to earn first team All-America honors from the NSCAA. Loyden also was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight season, becoming only the second repeat winner in the award's history. She was also a first team All-Mid Atlantic Region choice and during the season received weekly recognition from the BIG EAST six different times.
"It was very exciting to see Jillian up on the dais with so many notable sports figures," Villanova head coach Ann Clifton said. "For her to receive this honor and also to have been recognized among such outstanding student-athletes and coaches from the Villanova community is a tremendous honor."
This season, the Wildcats set a school record with 16 victories and reached the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six seasons, advancing to the second round. Along the way, Villanova posted 15 shutouts to come within one of the school's single-season record. Loyden was the defensive anchor from start to finish, setting new single-season team marks for goals-against average (0.45) and fewest goals allowed (10).
Loyden played in 22 games this season and was scored on in just six of them, producing more solo shutouts (11) than goals allowed (10). She also had 93 saves and a .903 save percentage for the season. During one stretch early in the year, Loyden went a stretch of 736:24 in the net without giving up a goal. That streak ranks as the 16th-longest in the history of Division I women's soccer.
Prior to Monday night's banquet, Loyden had been honored at the annual BIG EAST postseason banquet in November and the annual NSCAA banquet last month. Loyden, who will graduate from Villanova this spring with a degree in Comprehensive Science, has one year of eligibility remaining due to a redshirt season her freshman year.
More information about the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association is available at www.pswa.org.
