Senior defender/co-captain Carrie Dew was named an NSCAA first-team All-America selection late Friday, becoming the first Irish defender to earn that distinction since 1997.

Hanks, Dew Collect More Awards After Weekend Tournament Title

Sept. 1, 2008

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior All-America forward and Hermann Trophy candidate Kerri Hanks (Allen, Texas/Allen) has been named the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week, it was announced Monday afternoon. In addition, Irish senior defender and co-captain Carrie Dew (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) is a repeat selection as the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week, and Hanks was tapped for the BIG EAST Honor Roll for the second consecutive week.

Hanks posted her sixth career hat trick last Friday night in Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Loyola Marymount in the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic at Alumni Field. Already the owner of more than 60 school records, Hanks tied the Irish standard for career three-goal games originally set by Jenny Heft (1996-99), scoring twice on penalty kicks in the first 12 minutes of play, then adding a world-class goal in the final minute, weaving 40 yards through at least four LMU defenders before bending a 25-yard shot into the top right corner of the net. She went on to earn the tournament’s Offensive Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive year, becoming only the third multiple winner of that honor in the event’s 16-year history.

For the season, the three-time All-American Hanks has tallied nine points (4G-1A), boosting her career totals to 68 goals and 59 assists. She now is in second place on Notre Dame’s career points list (195) behind only Jenny Streiffer (211 from 1996-99). Hanks also is fourth on the Irish all-time goals list with 68 tallies, while Heft owns the school record with 80 goals. Furthermore, Hanks is just one assist shy of becoming the sixth player in NCAA Division I history to register 60 goals and 60 assists in her career.

Meanwhile, Dew continues to be the one of the key reasons why the Irish have posted three consecutive shutouts to open the 2008 season, the first time Notre Dame has opened with three clean sheets since its 1995 national championship campaign. Dew played all but 10 minutes in this weekend’s wins over LMU and No. 21/12 Santa Clara (2-0), helping to hold the two Irish opponents to a combined nine shots, including just four shots on goal. The 2006 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Dew was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic and picks up her fourth career BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week nod (she was chosen once during the 2006 and 2007 seasons).

Ranked fourth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Soccer America polls, Notre Dame (3-0) will be back in action Friday at 7 p.m. (ET) when it travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a matchup with No. 2 North Carolina on the opening night of the Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field.

— ND —