- Jim Dallke

Who says you need a football team to have an exiting fall sports season? This has been the most successful fall season in this history of UNCW Athletics, highlighted by the outstanding play of UNCW’s soccer teams. Both the men and women’s soccer teams won the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championship and bids into the NCAA tournament, a first for both programs. The Seahawk volleyball team finished 13-18, the programs best finish since 1996. And the Cross Country program also had a respectable year, as the men and women finished 7^th and 6^th respectively in the CAA.

Now that all the fall action has come to a close, here’s my list of the top performers for the Seahawks, sport by sport.

Men’s Soccer

Brock Duckworth

Junior Goalkeeper

Duckworth has been an absolute beast for the Seahawks the season. The Parker, Texas native lead the CAA in goals against average, save percentage, saves per game, total saves, and shutouts. Duckworth’s .886 save percentage is also tops in the nation among Division 1 goalkeepers. Basically, if you got a shot past number 17, consider yourself lucky. Duckworth’s two most impressive performances game in the CAA tournament when he posted consecutive shutouts against Old Dominion and Northeastern. The Seahawks won both matches 1-0 on their way to a CAA championship. The Seahawks are excited to have Duckworth back for one more year, as he attempts to build on his impressive season and continue to assert himself as one of the top goalkeepers in the nation.

Women’s Soccer

Stephanie Rose

Freshman Forward

The freshman came into UNCW will lofty expectations. She was last year’s North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year and even appeared in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.” Rose did not disappoint Seahawk Soccer fans as she lead the club in goals, assists, and points this season. She was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team as well as Second Team All-CAA. Two of Rose’s team leading seven goals were game winners, proving the freshman was not shy under the spotlight. Coach Paul Cairney and the Seahawks are thrilled to have Rose back for three more seasons as UNCW looks to improve on its championship season.

Volleyball

Ashlyn Morris

Senior Libero

The libero is a position in volleyball that often gets overlooked. In a sport dominated by blocks and kills, the libero’s main opportunity to fill a stat sheet is with digs. But Morris has done more than just lead her team in that category. Her 448 digs this season put her at 1,516 for her career, which makes Morris the all-time digs leader in UNCW history. The 5-foot-7 Morresville, North Carolina native used her quickness and athleticism throughout her career to get to balls no one else on the court could reach. Morris leaves UNCW with some very big shoes to fill.

Men’s Cross Country

Will Zahorodny

Sophomore

Zahorodny was consistently the strongest runner for the Seahawks this season, as the Damascus, Maryland native finished first for the Seahawks in every race. He had two top five finishes, placing 2^nd and 3^rd in the Campbell CC Carnival 4,000m and the Seahawk Invitational 5K respectively. Zahorodny capped off his successful season with a 20^th place finish in the CAA Championships and came in 82^nd out of 231 runners at the NCAA regionals in Louisville, Kentucky.

Women’s Cross Country

Kathleen Casto

Senior

Like Zahorodny, Casto lead the Seahawks in every race this season. Her best finish came at the Seahawk Invitational as she claimed first place in the 69-person race. Casto never finished outside the top 20 in regular season competition. In the CAA Championship she finished 13^th and in the NCAA regionals she placed an impressive 47^th out of 237 runners.

- Photos courtesy UNCW