RSC SOCCER PLAYERS SCHMIDT, KLOSTERMAN, AND GERRINGER NAMED USC NAMED TO NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN'S PLAYER OF DISTINCTION TEAM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (June 10, 2021) -- United Soccer Coaches announced the 2020-21 College Player Award of Distinction Recipients from NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, in addition to NAIA, NCCAA, and Junior College on Thursday. Russell Sage College junior forward Hallie Klosterman (Modena, NY/Wallkill), senior defender Samantha Schmidt (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) and sophomore defender Julia Gerringer (Lagrange, NY/Arlington) were all named to the Women's Division III Team.
The United Soccer Coaches is committed to extending opportunities for its college members to recognize their significant players and contributions to their programs. The new College Player Award of Distinction was established this spring for its member head coaches to submit deserving player based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Player has achieved quality performance on the field;
- Represented the highest ideals of team leadership;
- Exhibited quality character attributes including sportsmanship and respect for teammates, opponents, officials and the game in general;
- Made other significant contributions to the benefit of the program and the community.
Klosterman continues to add to her long list of awards and citations after her banner 2021 campaign. Last month she was named to the NCAA Division III Women Scholar All-East Region Team for her accomplishments on the soccer pitch and in the classroom, as well as earning a selection to the CoSIDA Women's Soccer College Division Academic All-District First Team. She is currently a candidate for the 2020-2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America College Division Women's Soccer Team that will be announced in early July.
Klosterman helped to lead the team to the program's very first Empire 8 Championship crown on April 17 as they defeated Utica College, 2-1. On the heels of the championship title, Klosterman was also named the Most Outstanding Player at the Tournament. She was also an Empire 8 First Team selection. She had two goals, a game-winner and an assist in the team's semifinals victory over Alfred University. She finished the season with five goals, and had two game-winning goals with an assist. On her career, Klosterman has 32 points on 11 goals with 10 assists. She ranks 17th in career assists in 41 matches played. She earned a pair of Empire 8 Player of the Week citations over the course of the spring campaign.
Schmidt, who was a senior leader on the team, just wrapped her fourth season with the Gators. As a junior, she was selected to participate in the 2020 Career in Sports Forum. As a senior, she was also instrumental in team's championship run. She was a starter in all seven matches and tallied one assist on the campaign. She was named to the 2021 Empire 8 Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team after also earning a spot on the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team. She wraps her time as a Gator having played in 59 matches with 8 points on one goal with six assists.
Gerringer also helped to anchor the team's defense this spring. She started six of seven games played and helped the team with her play. The team's defense collected three shutouts along the way as they captured the Empire 8 Spring Women's Soccer Championship. As a rookie with the Gators in 2019, she started three of 18 games played and added one goal. She also helped the squad combine for five shutouts along the way.
