Nov. 30, 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following up on her first team All-Southeast Region selection earlier in the week, Stephanie Amack was named a second team All-American, the United Soccer Coaches announced Thursday night.
“This is the highest honor in the country that a collegiate player can be recognized with,” said head coach Darren Ambrose. “I think it is fitting for her after achieving so much at Stanford as a team and winning a world cup, that she is recognized individually at this level and it is a great way to end her career. There are so many qualities about her that are not soccer related as well that have made a difference in our program. I am beyond excited for her that all the experience and time she has put in, she is being recognized for it here at Vanderbilt.”
Amack is the fourth All-American in program history and she is the first since Tyler Griffin was selected to the third team back in 2005.
Amack started all 22 games for the Dores and led the team in minutes with 1,925. In 19 of those contests, she played every minute including all 110 minutes twice in two double overtime matches against Arkansas.
She moved from midfield to center back and helped the Commodores defense become a force throughout the season. The Dores had seven shutouts this year with four coming against SEC competition. They began conference play with two straight shutouts and held opponents scoreless for 337:48 minutes over a four-game stretch.
Amack was also effective on the offensive end. She led the Commodores in goals with five, tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with three and was second in points with 10. Amack’s first game-winning goal came against Lipscomb in a 3-1 come from behind win.
Her next two came in the postseason against ranked teams. Down in Orange Beach, she sent home a penalty kick in the 50th minute for the lone goal of the match to beat No. 19 Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals. It gave the Commodores a trip to the SEC semifinals for the first time since 2005.
Then up in Columbus, she came through in the clutch once again when the Dores were tied with 14th-ranked and No. 4 seed Ohio State 1-1 in the 89th minute. Off of a corner, she sent her header near post past the keeper to clinch the Commodores 2-1 upset win. It was Vanderbilt’s first NCAA Tournament win in 19 years.
Amack and the other 40 NCAA Division I All-Americans, along with their families and coaches, will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the United Soccer Coaches All-America Luncheon on January 20, 2018. The event will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Convention in downtown Philadelphia.
