Minkus, Weisnstein, Matias Honored With All-Ivy Status

The women's soccer team capped off a fine season by capturing a slew of postseason Ivy League honors.

Senior Jen Minkus, the leading scorer in the Ivy League, won the prestigious Rookie of Year award, one of just two league-wide awards.

Minkus also garnered first team All-Ivy status, along with two members of the Crimson defense, Co-Captain Amy Weinstein and junior sweeper Erin Matias.

The Crimson also placed two players on the All-Ivy second team: Co-Captain Robin Johnston, and junior Laurie Uustal.

Mixed Reactions

Reaction to the selections was mixed.

"I'm thrilled we got so many players on the teams," Minkus said. "It shows how balanced our team was."

Upon learning she had been named Rookie of the Year, Minkus said, "That's so fun!"

But Weinstein was somewhat disappointed at the coaches' selections.

"It's certainly an honor to be selected," Weinstein said, "but I was surprised at their choices. I feel there are others on the team who should be recognized as well."

Weinstein was specifically referring to Johnston and Uustal, who were at least as much a factor in the team's success as Minkus, Matias and Weinstein.

"It's all politics, really," Weinstein concluded.

The All-Ivy honors highlight the two strengths of the Crimson this year, its front line and its defense. Minkus, Johnston and Uustal scored over 60 percent of the team's points this year, helping the Crimson to its league-leading scoring average of three goals per game. Minkus' five goals led the Ivies, and three of those goals were game-winners.

Beginner's Luck?

Minkus, a senior, never played collegiate soccer before this season. But she was a 50-point scorer in high school, and Coach Tim Wheaton had been after her for a long time to play soccer. Until this season, Minkus repeatedly deferred, preferring to concentrate on her tennis and ice hockey careers.

Johnston led the team in scoring with nine goals and eight assists, while Uustal added five goals and seven assists.

Weinstein and Matias on defense have been a consistent force for the Crimson all season. Matias is the premier sweeper in the Ivy League, while the speedy Weinstein catapulted herself from obscurity to first-team honors with a fine season.

Back In New Haven

Forward Laura Velade of Yale was named Player of the Year by the Ivy coaches. Velade was held scoreless by the Crimson in Harvard's 2-0 victory of the Elis.

Harvard's five players was tied for second in the Ivy League; only Cornell won more positions, with a total of six.

"They all really deserved it," senior stopper Skyler Vinton said.