Velaj, McLoughlin, And Strassner Named To All-Northeast Conference Teams
HAMDEN, Conn. - Quinnipiac women's soccer junior Furtuna Velaj
(Stamford, Conn.) was selected to the Northeast Conference
All-Conference first team, as announced at the annual NEC
Tournament Banquet. In addition, senior Meagan McLoughlin (Rocky
Hill, Conn.) and sophomore Jillian Strassner (Avon, Conn.) were
named to the All-NEC Second Team.
Velaj ranked fourth in the conference with 19 points this season,
earning a spot on the all-conference first team for the third
consecutive season. The junior forward led the Bobcats with seven
goals and five assists this fall. Velaj earned two
adidas/NEC Player of the Week awards this season, after
compiling her fourth career hat trick against Dartmouth during the
week of Sept. 20 and scoring the game-winning goal against Sacred
Heart the week of Nov. 1.
McLoughlin rightfully earned a spot on the All-NEC second team, as
she became a leader for the Bobcats in her final season. The
midfielder started in all 17 games for the Bobcats this fall,
tallying two goals and two assists on the year.
Strassner, the 2009 NEC Rookie of the Year, picked up her second
career all-conference honor after notching five goals and two
assists this season. Appearing in every game for Quinnipiac, the
sophomore led the Bobcats with three game-winning goals.
Quinnipiac returns to action on Friday, Nov. 5, in the Northeast
Conference Tournament hosted by Long Island at Fairleigh Dickinson
in Teaneck, N.J. The Bobcats will face second-seeded Saint Francis
(Pa.) at 2:30 p.m. at the University Field.