RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Senior Shannon Garrity and juniors Taylor Salkowsky and Kristen Skonieczny will serve as the women's soccer team captains in the upcoming 2014 season, Manhattan College head coach Brendan Lawler announced.
Garrity appeared in all 20 matches last year for the Jaspers, providing Manhattan with a dynamic presence on the wing. She started nine times, including the last eight matches of the season.
"Shannon was our first recruit and believed in our vision for the program at a time of significant change. She has never lost that sense of belief and has worked hard every day since her first day on campus to to help that vision grow," Lawler said. "Shannon is the perfect example of embracing her present role while always pushing herself to be ready to take a larger role in the future. In this role, we have the highest confidence in her ability to continue to lead on and off the field while being a great role model for the younger members of the team."
Salkowsky has been one of the top central defenders in the conference during her first two seasons at Manhattan. Named to the MAAC all-rookie team in 2012, Salkowsky has started 28 of 32 matches she has played during her career.
"Taylor has excelled in each challenge that she has faced since arriving on campus," Lawler said. "Taylor was given the opportunity to play a completely new position from day one of her Manhattan career and has owned it. She has a strong soccer IQ, making her a great resource for all her teammates. Just like Shannon and Kristen, Taylor has been a model student, helping to lay the foundation for all of the team's academic success."
Skonieczny emerged as Manhattan's starting goalkeeper in 2013, and had an outstanding season, despite dealing with an injury during the year. She started 12 of 14 matches, posted a 0.97 goals against average and finished with four shutouts.
"As her position demands, Kristen is often forced to literally the save the team," Lawler said. "She has excelled in this role since her freshman year, despite the high level of responsibility the goalkeeping position demands. No one holds herself to a higher standard than Kristen on the field and in the classroom and we know she will demand that her teammates do the same."
The Jaspers will begin the 2014 season at Gaelic Park on Friday, August 22 against Wagner at 7 p.m.
