CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 4, 2014)—Four members of the FIU women's soccer team garnered Conference USA All-Conference recognition, the league announced Tuesday morning. The four players representing the Panthers are redshirt senior Chelsea Leiva and senior Marie Egan, both of whom captured a spot on the C-USA Second Team All-Conference squad, while senior Ashleigh Shim took a spot on the C-USA Third Team All-Conference. Freshman goalkeeper Nevena Stojakovic rounded out the group with a spot on the All-Freshman team.

Leiva had a stellar comeback season in 2014 to bookend her career with FIU. Her eight goals moved the Royal Palm Beach, Fla., native into the program's top five for goals (34) and points (86) and she graduates as the all-time shots leader with 293. She's near the top of the conference in almost all statistical categories, including shots (67), shots-per-game (3.72), points (19) and goals (8). Her five game-winners was tops for C-USA and ranked her within the top 20 nationally.

The anchor of FIU's defense, Egan helped the Panthers accumulate six shutouts during 2014 from the centre back position. She played all 110 minutes in a 0-0 2OT draw with Florida Atlantic and broke up a corner against the league's most potent offense, North Texas, in the game's first 10 minutes. She helped tame then-No. 15 Santa Clara and No. 23 LBSU to just 15 combined shots.

Shim was tabbed one of 30 NCAA Div. I women's soccer seniors selected as a Senior CLASS Candidate during her senior campaign. She was named to the preseason C-USA All-Conference Team, and ended the regular season tied for No. 6 in the conference with three assists in league games. Her two-goal match at North Florida moved her into FIU's top 10 with 17 goals, and she graduates as the  10^th-hightest points scorer with 47.

Stojakovic made an instant impact to the Panthers as a rookie this season. Posting six shutouts, it's the second-most clean sheets by a freshman in school history. In three-straight matches of shutting out opponents, Stojakovic lasted 318 minutes between surrendering goals earlier this season. Playing every minute of action this season, the Serbia native ends the season with a .722 save percentage and a 1.08 goals against average, as opponents averaged just 8.5 shots-per-game against her.

A complete list of the three all-conference team selections, the all-freshman team and the specialty award winners for 2014 follows:

2014 C-USA WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Year
Lauren Hughes, Rice

Defensive Player of the Year
Olivia MBala, Florida Atlantic

Midfielder of the Year
Quinny Truong, Rice

Freshman of the Year
Martha Thomas, Charlotte

Coach of the Year
Nicky Adams, Rice

All-Conference USA First Team
F: Holly Hargreaves, Rice
F: Rachel Holden, North Texas
F: Lauren Hughes, Rice
MF: Kelly Culicerto, Marshall
MF: Aleah Davis, UTEP
MF: Karla Pineda, North Texas
MF: Quinny Truong, Rice
D: Hannah Asuchak, UTEP
D: Taylor Dulaney, Charlotte
D: Olivia MBala, Florida Atlantic
GK: Sarah Dilling, UTEP

All-Conference USA Second Team
F: Claire Emslie, Florida Atlantic
F: Chelsea Leiva, FIU
F: Kathryn Sloan, Louisiana Tech
F: Martha Thomas, Charlotte
MF: Sydney Arnold, Marshall
MF: Amanda Jones, Charlotte
MF: Morgan Key-Adams, UAB
D: Mary Catherine Combs, UAB
D: Marie Egan, FIU
D: Jenny Fichera, Rice
GK: Jackie Kerestine, North Texas

All-Conference USA Third Team
F: Angela Cutaia, UTEP
F: Jessie Klamut, Old Dominion
F: Ashleigh Shim, FIU
F: Grace Summers, Middle Tennessee
MF: Angie Lai, Middle Tennessee
MF: Donya Salomon-Ali, Louisiana Tech
MF: Sara Trexler, Charlotte
D: Casey Adkins, Southern Miss
D: Ashton Geisendorff, Rice
D: Natalie Johnson, Old Dominion
GK: Amy Czyz, Rice
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Martha Thomas, F, Charlotte
Nevena Stojakovic, GK, FIU
Asta Arnadottir, MF, Florida Atlantic
Hildur Hauksdottir, MF, Florida Atlantic
Peyton McCollum, F, Middle Tennessee
Madison Hogan, F, Old Dominion
Samantha Chaiken, MF, Rice
Mary Claire Danilevics, D, Rice
Amy Brewer, D, UAB
Sydney Rapp, D, UTEP
Allison Leone, GK, WKU

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWomensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest FIU women's soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.