Junior Kristin Russell tabbed to 2010 all-conference squad

St. John’s women’s soccer team had two upperclassmen named to the 2010 All-BIG EAST Teams on Thursday night, announced by league officials at the annual BIG EAST Awards Dinner, preceding the BIG EAST Tournament Semi Finals in Piscataway, N.J.

Four the fourth time in her career, St. John’s women’s soccer midfielder Nicole Pasciolla was named to one of the BIG EAST’s All-Conference teams. Leading a Red Storm team with 17 freshmen, Pasciolla helped the midfield and defense to seven shut outs in 2010. For her accomplishments, Pasciolla was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team.

Pasciolla, who was recently tabbed a CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team honoree and was a 2010 top 10 Finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, has earned All-BIG EAST honors three other times in her five years with the Red Storm. In 2009, she was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team, in 2007 she was an all-league honorable mention and as a rookie in 2006 she earned All-BIG EAST Third Team honors. In 2008, Pasciolla sat out most of the season with an injury. She has also been a four-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star.

Kristin Russell tabs her second All-BIG EAST accolade.

A native of Park Ridge, N.J., Pasciolla has been the backbone of the Red Storm midfield consistently through four seasons, playing in 78 career games and starting 77 of them. With an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.96, she has also begun to take classes to pursue a graduate degree in government and politics. Pasciolla was also a 2009 CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team Nominee as well as a 2008 NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-East Region selection. As a rookie, Pasciolla was also an Freshman All-America Fourth Team selection.

Joining Pasciolla with All-BIG EAST Third Team honors was junior goalkeeper Kristin Russell. Russell earned BIG EAST weekly honors twice in 2010, both with honor roll mentions. The St. Petersburg, Fla. native posted seven shutouts and 81 saves this season, and finished with a 5-10-1 record. In late August, Russell was named to the James Madison University/Comfort Inn Invitational All-Tournament team.

Overall, Russell has tallied 27 career shutouts and 253 saves with a career record of 26-21-8. She is currently St. John’s all-time shutout record-holder.

Russell’s Third Team mention is her second all-league award as she was named an All-BIG EAST honorable mention in 2008, following her rookie campaign.