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News Release

KELLY FIORANI IS UMBC'S NOMINEE FOR INAUGURAL AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE WOMAN OF THE YEAR

6/19/2006

Kelly Fiorani is UMBC’s nomination for the inaugural America East Conference Woman of the Year award, league commissioner Patrick Nero announced today. Fiorani, who earned seven letters in lacrosse and soccer, is one of nine senior female student-athletes nominated for a commitment to service, leadership, athletics and academics during their collegiate careers.

Albany’s Ashlee Reed (volleyball), Binghamton’s Lauren Verrusio (softball), Boston University’s Brittany McDonald (soccer), Hartford’s Brianne Paulson (volleyball), Maine’s Linda Consolante (soccer), New Hampshire’s Debbie Newman (soccer), Stony Brook’s Marrisa Trachtenberg (lacrosse) and Vermont’s Merrie-Beth Maynard (field hockey) have also been chosen as the senior female student-athletes on their respective campuses.

Fiorani just completed a brilliant career both on and off the fields at UMBC. The four-year letterwinner in lacrosse earned 2006 IWCLA Mid-Atlantic All Regional Second Team honors and America East Conference First Team honors. The midfielder was also named to this year’s America East All Championship team and earned UMBC’s Outstanding Female Senior Athlete award. She finished her lacrosse career third on the school’s all-time scoring list with 189 points (140 goals, 49 assists) and capped her career with an appearance in the STX North/South Senior All Star game.

The native of Eldersburg, Maryland earned three letters in soccer, was named the team’s most Improved Athlete in 2004 and recorded five career goals and 15 points as a forward. She was just named to the America East All Academic squad and has earned five citations for the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll and America East honor roll in her tenure. A co-captain of the 2006 team, the Psychology graduate was active in the UMBC Mentoring program, in addition to working on lacrosse team fund-raisers of the Katrina Relief Fund and Breast Cancer research.

To be nominated, student-athletes must have earned a varsity letter in a NCAA-sponsored sport and competed during the 2005-06 academic year, completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2006 spring season or received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the spring 2006 term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).

In conjunction with the changes in the nomination process for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, the America East Woman of the Year award was established for the 2005-06 athletic season. Effective this year, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) will receive conference-designated nominees in lieu of the previous institution- and state-based nomination format.

The nine America East nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists on Wednesday (June 21) with the America East Woman of the Year being announced on Sunday (June 25) at the America East Annual Meeting in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The three league finalists will be invited to the Annual Meeting where they will be recognized for their achievements.

The America East Woman of the Year will then be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will select the top 10 winners in each NCAA division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2006 NCAA Woman of the Year.