Esmeralda Negron Named Ivy League Women's Soccer Player of the Year

Nov. 13, 2003

Esmeralda Negron has been named the 2003 Ivy League women's soccer Player of the Year in a vote of the league's eight head coaches.

Negron, who tied Princeton's 22-year-old school record with 13 goals this season, becomes the fourth Princeton women's soccer player to be named league Player of the Year, joining Lynette Prescott (1982), Dodie Colavecchio (1985) and Heather Deerin (2001).

Princeton opens the NCAA tournament Friday night (7) against Villanova, in a game to played at the University of Virginia's Klockner Stadium.

"It's a great honor," said Negron, a junior from Harrington Park, N.J. "I did not expect to win. To have the coaches in the league choose you for an away like this makes it even more special. It's very humbling."

Negron was also a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection, matching her first-team All-Ivy status of a year ago. Negron tied Princeton's record with 13 goals (set in 1981 by Susan Mooney), and her 30 points are one off Linda DeBoer's school record from 1982. She currently sits in second place all-time at Princeton in goals in a career (27) and points in a career (60). Emily Behncke, the 2002 Ivy Rookie of the Year, was named a first-team All-Ivy selection as well. Behncke, Princeton's second-leading scorer this season with seven goals and five assists, and Negron are joined on the first team by defender Rochelle Willis, a junior who has started every game in her career. Willis was a second-team selection each of her first two seasons.

Janine Willis, Rochelle's twin sister, was named second-team All-Ivy on defense. Janine Willis, who has started every game but one in her career, has played every minute of every game this season. Sophomore Maura Gallagher, who is tied with Behncke for the team lead in assists and who also has four goals, was also a second-team selection.

Senior tri-captain Liz Bell was named honorable mention All-Ivy.

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