Posted By Press Democrat Staff Writer Michael Coit
Nationally ranked Sonoma State placed seven players on the women’s all-conference soccer squad and three Seawolves men earned California Collegiate Athletic Association honors.
Former Empire prep greats were among the top players on both teams.
Leading the women were forward Cara Curtin – newcomer of the year – and defender Sara Studer with CCAA first team honors.
Top honors for the men went to Taylor Varnadore, at forward, and midfielder Michel Arroyo, who made the CCAA first team.
Curtin, from Santa Rosa Junior College and Maria Carrillo high, led Sonoma State with 13 goals, tied for the team lead with 6 assists, and was second in the conference in scoring. Studer, from Oceanside, is an anchor on the back line and also moves up top for scoring. She was an all-conference and all-west region pick a year ago.
Selected to the women’s CCAA second team were goalkeeper Alexis Sciacqua and midfielder Gretel Amman, both from Montgomery high, and defender Carolyn Greco, from Fullerton.
Earning honorable mention honors were a pair of Sonoma State midfielders, Ashley Martin, from Davis, and Margi Osmundson, out of Casa Grande high.
Ranked seventh nationally and number one in the west, Sonoma State is the top seed entering this weekend’s conference tournament, in Carson. Also in the field are Cal State Stanislaus, UC San Diego, and Cal Poly Pomona.
Another former Empire great, Hayley Johnson, made first team all-conference. Johnson, a UC San Diego defender and all-west selection last season, played at Maria Carrillo.
Sonoma State second year women’s coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn was CCAA coach of the year. As a player, Salzmann Dunn starred at Piner high, SRJC and SSU.
On the men’s side, Varnadore was all-conference a third consecutive season. The forward, from Analy high, led the CCAA in goals this season and is sixth on the school career list with 31. Arroyo, out of Calistoga high, and last year’s freshman of the year, was an important two-way player for Sonoma State.
Also a third time CCAA pick was midfielder Cory Taufer, from Clovis. Taufer was an honorable mention selection this season.
The Seawolves men finished third place in the CCAA North Division, just missing the conference tournament.
