Melendez named CAA Goalkeeper of the Year, four other Tigers earn honors
By: Jake Shindel, Sports Editor
Riley Melendez was voted CAA Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the first Tiger to win an individual honor in program history, the CAA announced Wednesday. In addition, Melendez and forward Nia Christopher were named to the All-CAA First Team, while forward Phoebe Canoles, midfielder Jasmine Hamid and defender Maja Hansson were named to the All-CAA Second Team.
The five players have helped lead Towson to a #5 seed in the CAA Tournament. The team finished the regular season at 11-2-5 and outscored their opponents 33-8.
Melendez led the country in the regular season with 11 shutouts, and Towson ranked third in the nation in total defense. The junior from Springfield, VA, has given up eight goals all season and had a season-high six saves on Oct. 6, a shutout win at The College of Charleston.
Christopher, a member of the Bermudian National Team, finished the regular season with twelve goals, five of them coming in one game against Delaware State. Christopher’s performance set the record for most goals in a game in program history, breaking the previous record of three which numerous players held.
A redshirt junior from Baltimore, MD, Canoles is enjoying a career year, with eight goals and seven assists. Her shots-on-goal percentage for the regular season was .607, which is the highest of her career. The recognition for Canoles is her third such award for a CAA regular season honor, after winning both All-CAA Rookie Team and All-CAA Third Team during her freshman season.
Hamid’s 2022 performance includes six goals and six assists, landing her on the All-CAA Second Team. Against St. Francis, Hamid netted two goals on five shots, three of them being on goal. The Alexandria, VA, native is in her second season at Towson, and lands on the All-CAA Second Team for the second year in a row.
Hansson, who hails from Sweden, has started in all 18 games for Towson, playing for the entire 90-minute game in over half of them. The junior defender has helped anchor the defense throughout an impressive season, giving up only four goals since beginning conference play.
The Tigers will face off against #4 Elon in their first matchup of the CAA Tournament on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
