Jan. 30, 2004

VILLANOVA, PA. - The post-season accolades keep rolling in for Villanova University head women's soccer coach Ann Clifton. Earlier this off-season, she was named NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year. More recently, Clifton added two more honors to her trophy case: New Jersey Sports Writers Association Women's Soccer Coach of the Year and Soccer Buzz Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.

Clifton was honored at the New Jersey Sports Writers Association annual banquet held on Jan. 25th. She was just one member of an outstanding honored guests list that included Florida Marlins Manager Jack McKeon, Walt Frasier, Tom Glavine etc.

Despite a tremendous first six seasons on the Main Line for Clifton, the 2003 was by the program's finest year ever.

Early in the 2003 season with a win over Syracuse, Clifton became the all-time winningest coach in the history of Villanova women's soccer. The Wildcats used a late-season surge to propel them into the Big East Tournament. Getting by three nationally ranked teams in the tournament, Villanova went on to win the program's first-ever Big East Conference Championship.

The 2003 Wildcats would earn a trip to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament and made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time ever. Villanova wound down the season with a 15-5-5 overall record, finishing the year with the program's highest ever final national ranking at No. 15.

Through her first seven seasons on the Main Line, Clifton's career record at Villanova now stands at 84-47-14.