Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Release

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The nationally-ranked Kutztown University women's soccer team had three players named to the Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Team on Monday morning, headlined by Sam Costello (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) earning the Atlantic Region Player of the Year.
 
Costello was named a First Team All-Atlantic Region honoree and is the first Golden Bear in program history to be named the Regional Player of the Year. Fellow all-conference players Diana Malanga (Lavallette, N.J./St. Rose) and Sam Busillo (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove) were named to the All-Atlantic Region Second Team.
 
A senior and two-time all-region forward, Costello is in the midst of an award-winning campaign, which hopes to only get better as she hopes to be the third All-American in KU women's soccer history. Earlier this month, she became the first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Offensive Athlete of the Year from Kutztown.
 
Costello scored a career-high 12 goals and dished out five assists in 2014. She led the PSAC in points per game (1.61) and following KU's final postseason game, dropped to second in the conference in goals per game (.667). She played a significant role in Kutztown's school-record nine-game winning streak and advancing to the PSAC Championship game.
 
She closed her career ranked third in school history in career assists (21), fourth in career goals (26) and fourth in career points (73).
 
Malanga is a two-time all-region midfielder. She scored a career-high eight goals this season, including a hat-trick on the road at Bloomsburg that earned her the PSAC Athlete of the Week on Oct. 6, and finished with three assists for 19 points. She started each of her 19 games played this season, as well as 56 of her 58 career games.
 
The junior moved her way onto the KU leaderboard in scoring at 10th in program history with 16 career goals. She'll also enter her senior season tied for 10th with 41 career points.
 
Busillo turned in the best season of her career as a full-time starter on defense. A first-time all-region and all-conference player this season, she helped lead KU to nine shutouts during the regular season, including a four-game stretch where the Golden Bears outscored their opponents, 10-0.
 
Kutztown concluded its season with 15-5-1 record, with its lone tie coming in the NCAA Tournament, where it went to a shootout with California (PA) but was not the advancing team. The 15 wins are second-most in school history.
 
 
2014 Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Team
 
Player of the Year – Sam Costello (Westfield, N.J./Westfield), Kutztown
 
FIRST TEAM
F – Mani Brueckner, Gannon **
F – Sam Costello (Westfield, N.J./Westfield), Kutztown
F – Chelsea Crockett, California **
F – Alexis Manoa, Notre Dame
MF – Holly Bigg, Charleston * ^
MF – Erin Hogan, California **
MF – Shea Neal, East Stroudsburg *
MF – Carly Yost, West Chester
B – Becca Costello, Edinboro *
B – Laurel Neira, East Stroudsburg
B – Lexie Peveraro, East Stroudsburg
B – Rachel Ritchey, West Virginia Wesleyan *
GK – Jules Harris, East Stroudsburg
 
SECOND TEAM
F – Liz Debo, Edinboro **
F – Brittney Kuhns, Indiana
F – Janelle McCann, California
F – Kari Simon, Concord
MF – Kristi Dalton, West Virginia Wesleyan
MF – Karla DiJohn, Notre Dame
MF – Tess Keeley, Slippery Rock
MF – Abbey Lindbald, West Virginia Wesleyan
MF - Diana Malanga (Lavallette, N.J./St. Rose), Kutztown
MF – Megan O'Connor, Notre Dame *
B – Sam Busillo (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove), Kutztown
B – Jessica Hong, West Virginia Wesleyan
B – Erika Schrock, West Chester
B – Kelsey Smith, Shepherd
B – Amanda Vojta, East Stroudsburg
GK –Samantha Shoemaker, Notre Dame
 
* Indicates previous first team all-region selections
^ Indicates previous second team all-region selections