By Heather Muh
LINCROFT – Brookdale Community College’s women’s soccer team made history over the weekend by becoming the first Brookdale athletic program to win back-to-back NJCAA Division III National Championships.
The Jersey Blues began their championship run with a 3-1 victory over Anne Arundel Community College on Thursday, Nov. 13, and followed that up two days later with a 3-0 win over Rock Valley College. Brookdale earned their second national champions on Sunday, Nov. 16, after shutting out Texas’s Richland College, 1-0.
The team also was awarded the Coach of the Tournament honor for head coach Katie Miller and two MVP honors.
“It’s been hard to put into words,” Miller said. “We literally played the last game we could play in and we won. It’s very gratifying.”
Miller said hard work, dedication and determination were what allowed her team to go as far as they did. “This team came together at the right moment,” she said. “They never gave up on each other.”
MVP Caroline Duerr, a returning sophomore forward from Brielle, said that she and her teammates “played with nothing but heart.”
She said what was so “storybook” about this season was the fact that the team lost so many sophomores last year. Almost the entire defensive line graduated.
“We’re a different team this year,” Duerr said. “We had a lot more obstacles and a lot to work on, and we rose to the occasion.”
Duerr was on the team last year when the women made history the first time by becoming Brookdale’s first soccer team to bring home a national title. “It was really cool being able to make history not once but twice,” she said.
Duerr was awarded MVP honors for last year’s tournament as well.
Duerr said that being a back-to-back MVP is huge for her but that it would not have been possible without her team. “I can really only give all the credit to my teammates,” she said. “I owe my whole season to them.”
Sophomore Nicole Rodriguez was named the offensive MVP, and defenders Alexandria Montefinese and Amanda Anastasia were named to the All-Tournament team.
Miller was also honored with a title, “Coach of the Tournament.” Like Duerr, Miller credits her team for the award. “It’s not about me as a coach, it’s about the players and all they do,” she said. “I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to be able to coach such a great group of student athletes.”
Miller played for Brookdale’s women’s soccer team in 2006 when it lost the final game in the national tournament 1-0 to Richland. “As a player it stunk not to win, but as a coach it was so nice to see them do what I couldn’t do as a player,” she said. “I’m grateful to be a part of it, just in a different position.”
As for next season – with seven players graduating – Miller is prepared to work with a new team. “Every year you start fresh,” she said. “I have always been able to get a group of student athletes willing to learn and work hard.”
Duerr, who will be moving on to a four-year college next year as a communication major, definitely plans to continue playing soccer. She is currently talking to schools from various divisions. “I’m keeping all my options open,” she said.
On top of now being back-to-back national champions, the Jersey Blues also pride themselves on being “student athletes.” The team maintained an average GPA of 3.3 during last year’s championship run.
“They are extremely intelligent,” Miller said. “They work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the field.”
Miller said that on the bus ride home from winning the championship game she made sure to tell the girls they had to go to class the next day.
“We have to owe it to Katie,” Duerr said. “She makes sure we put our studies before sports.”
