Junior midfielder Courtney Breen, a Hicksville resident, was recently named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Soccer Player of the Week.
Breen was recently named the Most Valuable Player of the Hofstra Invitational after leading the Pride to a 3-1 win over Rhode Island and a 4-1 win over Fordham. She assisted on the game-winning goal in the second half of the Rhode Island win, then scored twice in the second half of the Fordham victory for her first career two-goal game.
“Courtney has become a big-time player. She plays with such tremendous composure on the ball that she brings a sense of calm and confidence to the entire team. She consistently makes good decisions, and gives us a big lift on both ends of the field. She’s been a huge part of our success so far this season,” said Simon Riddiough, head coach.
In addition to her stat line, Breen also had a key role in the Pride’s dominance in possession for both games. Hofstra outshot Rhode Island 25-4 overall, including 22-2 in the first 75 minutes before Rhode Island took a couple of late shots. On the second day of the tournament, the Pride outshot Fordham 15-4, including 12-0 in the first 75 minutes before Fordham took four shots, scoring once, after Hofstra brought in six bench players. Breen’s work as a defensive midfielder prevented either team from having any success building attacks.
With the two wins, the Pride improved to 2-1 on the young season, while Breen improved her career goal total to eight with the two tallies against Fordham. A two-time All-CAA selection (second team as a freshman, first team as a sophomore), Breen was also a preseason All-CAA pick for the 2010 season.
Before playing at Hofstra, Breen played three seasons at Hicksville High School but missed her senior year due to injury. She has four sisters, including a twin sister, Erin, who also plays for the Pride. Breen is a physical education major at Hofstra.
