ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After an outstanding season in goal, UCF junior Vera Varis was named a United Soccer Coaches Association All-American, as announced Thursday evening.
"We are very proud of Vera, and happy to see her recognized as one of the top goalkeepers in the nation," UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said. "She's a modern goalkeeper that can play with her feet and help the team build the attack, as well as keep the ball out of our net. Vera's contributions were obviously a big piece of the success we had this season."
Varis allowed just four goals all season, compiling a goals against average of 0.27 that ranked third in the nation. The junior played more than 900 minutes between goals allowed, coming over a 13-game stretch.
The Vantaa, Finland, native was named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year as she tallied five shutouts with just one goal allowed in nine league matches. She started all 18 matches in goal for the Knights, and never allowed more than one goal in a match.
Varis posted eight shutouts and accumulated 11 victories on the season. She currently ranks seventh all-time at UCF with 162 saves and is tied for ninth with 15 shutouts as a Knight.
She is the first Knight since 2014 to earn the distinction, and the first goalkeeper to earn the accolade since Aline Reis in 2008. She is the fourth goalkeeper in UCF history to earn All-America status.
The Knights finished the 2017 campaign with a 13-2-3 record, the most wins since the 2014 campaign. Returning to the United Soccer Coaches poll, UCF climbed as high as No. 6 and finished the regular season ranked eighth. The Knights posted a 16-match unbeaten streak, the longest since the 2013 campaign, and captured the American Athletic Conference regular season championship.
COLLEGE CUP
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