Nov. 6, 2002

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The storybook season for Maryland head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski continued on Wednesday night at the ACC Women's Soccer Awards Banquet as she was named ACC Coach of the Year for the second time in four seasons. Higgins-Cirovski was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Oct. 14, 2002 as just the third woman and the youngest person ever to be enshrined. That honor came just three months after she gave birth to her third daughter Ellie Summer Cirovski on July 15, 2002.

On the sidelines this season, Higgins-Cirovski has led Maryland to an 11-6-1 record in the regular-season heading into an ACC Tournament opening round match with Florida State on Thursday night at 8 p.m. The Terps are ranked No. 16 , their highest ranking in two seasons. That 11-game win total is the most Maryland has in the regular-season since 1997 and the most under Higgins-Cirovski while at Maryland. She has led the Terps to their first-ever win at Clemson, dating to 1994; Maryland's first-ever positive result with a 1-1 tie at 17-time national champion North Carolina on Nov. 1 and the Terps' second-ever win over Virginia in a 2-0 shutout on Oct. 11.

"I'm just shocked (I won the award)," said the coach immediately following the announcement. "Obviously, this a tremendous honor considering the great coaches in the ACC. I'm very proud of this honor. A lot of the credit goes to my staff and the players that have performed this season coming up with many huge victories. They have made me look good."

Higgins-Cirovski was also named ACC Coach of the Year in 1999 after leading the Terps to their best-ever finish in the ACC at 4-2-1 in her first season in College Park.

Maryland forward Katie Ludwig (Mount Laurel, N.J.) was named to the All-ACC first team after a sensational season in which she has made a triumphant return to playing forward after playing on defense last season. Ludwig has six goals and four assists for 16 points this season to rank third on the club in both goals and scoring. She has been a key to the Terps late-season run in which they have gone 4-1-1 in their last six matches. She was also named to the 2002 Maryland FILA/Classic All-Tournament team.

A pair of Terps were named to the All-ACC second team as redshirt freshman Kimmy Francis (Richboro, Pa.) and freshman Mallory Mahar (Medina, Ohio) were honored. Mahar and Ali Andrzejewski (Lutherville, Md.) were named to the ACC All-Freshman Team as well.

The dynamic playmaking Francis has make a successful return from a torn ACL that caused her miss her entire true freshman season in 2001. Francis leads the team in assists with eight and has scored two goals for a total of 12 points. Her eight assists are one short of the school-record for assists by a freshman. She had a career-high four-point night at James Madison on Oct. 28.

Mahar has been selfless this season in moving between defense and midfield in her first collegiate campaign. She has been a force with her heading ability scoring all four of her goals on headers in the box. She has a total of 10 points and has started 17 of 18 matches this season.

Andrzejewski has come to Maryland with great scoring prowess as she is tied for the team lead in goals with eight. She has a total of 18 points, which is second on the squad in her first college season. She netted a career-high two goals at Rutgers as she was named the TV Star of the Game.

The five ACC honors equal the most Maryland has ever won in one season. They also had five honors in 1998.

Once again, Maryland plays host Florida State in the first round of the 2002 ACC Tournament at the Seminole Soccer Complex on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on Sunshine Network which is available on DirecTV (Channel 632) and Dish Network (Channel 422).