ALBANY – Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings declared today “Saint Rose Women’s Soccer Day” in the city and presented the team with a proclamation recognizing their historic 2009 season. The mayor furthermore announced a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Soccer Federation that will help offset the costs of construction of the field turf for the all-weather lacrosse/soccer facility at the new Plumeri Sports Complex, which will also feature baseball and softball diamonds, and a practice field.
“This is not only a great day for the women’s soccer team at Saint Rose; it is a great day for the City, the College, and the Plumeri Sports Complex. I am pleased to announce that just yesterday, the City and the College received notification from the U.S. Soccer Federation that the City will receive this grant,” said Jennings.
“Another important aspect of the grant is that it honors the mission of the Saint Rose/City of Albany Partnership to develop the Plumeri Sports Complex. This partnership is based on the premise that both the College and the City’s youth will share in the use of these fields. Having new fields for our city’s children to enjoy helps them stay active, healthy and engaged in programs as an alternative to negative influences,” added Jennings.
Saint Rose President, Dr. R. Mark Sullivan, later presented the mayor with a soccer team jacket, while head coach Laurie Darling Gutheil presented him with a ball signed by each team member along with a t-shirt.
“We are just so proud to represent the city of Albany and the College on the pitch. All of our success is a reflection of the hard work our players put in. They are outstanding role models for our community,” said Darling Gutheil who added lightheartedly that she hoped to see the mayor at a game next year wearing his new shirt.
The Golden Knights finished 24-1 this past fall. They also made their second consecutive national semifinal appearance and were one victory shy of tying an NCAA Division II single-season record. Saint Rose also became only the third team in Northeast-10 Conference history (1985) to win three consecutive postseason league titles. The team’s lone loss was an overtime decision to eventual national champion Grand Valley State. Additionally, Darling Gutheil was named the 2009 NSCAA/Mondo National Coach of the Year. In the past eight seasons, she has led Saint Rose a 135-27-14 record and seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
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