CONFERENCE HONORS
Big East fetes Hall's Ritter on third team

Sophomore forward Katie Ritter (Hagerstown, Md.) of the Seton Hall University women received 2011 Big East Women’s third-team all-conference honors.

Ritter, who was selected to the Big East All-Rookie team last season, led the Pirates with six goals in 2011 including three game winners.

Ritter scored twice in 3-2 victory over Georgetown University in Seton Hall’s Be's opener on Sept. 16, and registered game-winners against Monmouth University, Princeton University and the University of Pittsburgh. She was named the BigAppleSoccer.com player of the week on Aug. 29 after registering scores against Monmouth and Lehigh.

The Pirates landed a student-athlete on the women’s soccer All-BE third-team for the second year in a row as goalkeeper Jennifer Pettigrew (Kearny, N.J.) received the honor last season.

Ritter becomes the ninth player in program history to garner all-conference accolades and is only the second to be named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie team and go on to receive all-conference recognition later in her career; Seton Hall University Hall of Fame member Kelly Smith is the only other.

After just two seasons as a Pirate Ritter is tied for sixth place in school history with 13 goals, and sits one behind Rita Massot (2003-06) for fifth place. She is also 10th in Seton Hall history with 27 points (13 goals, one assist).

Seton Hall University completed its season with a 9-8-3 record and advanced to the Big East quarterfinals. The nine wins represent the most for the Pirates since 1999 and Seton Hall’s 1-0 win over St. John’s University in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament was its first postseason win since that same season.