All Tribe
Team of the Year: Women’s soccer
From top to bottom, there was not a more complete team at the College this year than women’s soccer. On the offensive side of the ball, junior forward Claire Zimmeck scored at least one goal in 11 of the Tribe’s 22 games.
Not to be outdone, the Tribe defense allowed a stingy 0.48 goals per game and recorded 13 shutouts, among the nation’s best in both categories. The team showcased six All-State selections, five All-Region honorees and two All-Americans. Don’t forget about the Tribe’s NCAA tournament victory over Georgetown University and program-defining triumph over then-no. 2 University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. All that adds up to our unanimous selection for Team of the Year.
Coach of the Year: Tony Shaver, Men’s Basketball
In his fifth year at the helm of Tribe basketball, Shaver kept the program’s momentum going and led it on an historic CAA Tournament run that ended one win shy of the College’s first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. Picked to finish ninth in the conference, Shaver guided the team to a fifth-place regular season finish and an unprecedented three tournament victories. The Tribe’s 10 CAA victories marked only the second double-digit wins total in school history.
Game of the Year: Tribe vs. VCU in CAA Tournament Semis
VCU seemed poised to return to the CAA title game. All that stood in their way was the Tribe, a team they had defeated 12 straight times. Senior forward Laimis Kisielius’ last-second bank shot in the lane capped off an improbable 56-54 upset victory and propelled the Tribe to the CAA final for the first time in school history. Seconds later, frenzied Tribe fans stormed the court, while thousands of VCU fans sat in silence. ESPN announcer Dick Vitale called the win his “Shock of the Week.”
Play of the Year: Schneider’s 3-point shot against GSU
One year after Georgia State University guard Leonard Mendez drilled a buzzer-beater to knock the Tribe out of the CAA Tournament, sophomore David Schneider returned the favor. Schneider’s three-point payback helped erase lingering memories of post-season mediocrity and gave the team momentum as they completed a historic run through the CAA tournament. Finally, the basketball gods were smiling down on the Tribe, Head Coach Tony Shaver said afterward.