Dec. 4, 2015
By Joanne Norell
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame women’s soccer senior Cari Roccaro has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of American All-America Third Team, the NSCAA announced Friday.
In addition, Roccaro and classmate Katie Naughton – both central defenders – were named to the NSCAA NCAA Division I Women’s All-Southeast Region First Team, while senior forward Anna Maria Gilbertson made the second team.
Roccaro, a native of East Islip, New York, is making her second appearance on the NSCAA All-America scrolls, having been named to the third team following her freshman season in 2012. A two-time Irish captain and former captain of the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team, Roccaro made contributions from every field position throughout her career in 75 starts with 13 goals and four assists (30 points). In 2015, she transitioned to the back line as a senior to become one of the nation’s premier central defenders on a team that yielded just 5.4 shots per game and a total of 11 goals in 20 matches.
In addition to her most recent honor, Roccaro was a four-time all-conference selection (ACC and BIG EAST), a two-time Monogram Club Team MVP, and the 2012 Soccer America National Freshman of the Year and BIG EAST Rookie of the Year. In 2013, she was named a Soccer America first team MVP, and was a two-time NSCAA All-Southeast Region second team pick (2013, 2014). Following this season, Roccaro was named a First Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America after being honored as an NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region first team honoree, as well as a third team NSCAA Scholar All-American as a junior.
Naughton, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, compiled a stellar career as a steady presence on the Irish back line, starting in all 89 games in which she appeared. The first three-time captain in Notre Dame women’s soccer history, Naughton scored 11 career goals and added two assists (24 points), was named to the all-ACC second team during her junior and senior seasons, and the all-BIG EAST third team as a freshman. It is Naughton’s first first-team all-region honor. She was named to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region Second Team as both a freshman and junior.
Gilbertson, a native of Davis, California, broke out in 2015 to lead the Irish in scoring, tabbing career highs in nearly every statistical category. She paced the Irish with 13 goals and three assists for 29 points, while pacing the ACC with 110 shots. Gilbertson started all 20 games for the Irish in 2015, completing the transition to full-time player from key reserve. Her 13 goals bested her previous career high by eight, set as a freshman in 2012, and her six game-winning goals were also a career best (previously 1 in 2012, 2013 and 2014). It is Gilbertson’s first NSCAA all-region honor.
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Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.