CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - On the eve of their first-round match in the 2010 America East Championship, the Hartford women's soccer team received word that four of its members were recognized as part of the league's postseason all-conference teams. Fresh off her election as the conference's Fans Choice Award recipient, sophomore Amelia Pereira was named a First Team All-America East performer. Meanwhile, junior Michele DeSanti and sophomore Caroline Dixon earned Second Team All-America East recognition, and senior Michelle Babin was honored as an America East All-Academic student-athlete.

For Pereira, DeSanti and Dixon, the honors were the first all-conference nods of their careers. Babin has earned spots on the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll twice previously, and the America East Academic Honor Roll last season.

Pereira came on strong at the end of the season, finishing among the conference leaders with 15 points, 12 of which came in league play. Those 12 points ranks third amongst all conference players. Pereira made her mark on the conference record books in the Hawks' 6-2 victory at Vermont, when she put together a hat trick and added two assists. It was the first hat trick of the season in the America East, and the eight total points marked the highest total for a conference player since 2004. In fact, no league player had tallied that many points in a league game since 2003. A native of Madeira Island, Portugal, Pereira has five goals and five assists altogether, both leading or tied for the lead on the team.

Dixon saved her first collegiate goal for the best possible time, as her score at New Hampshire in the regular-season finale gave the Hawks a 1-0 victory and the third seed in the upcoming America East Championship. The sophomore from Manchester, England sits third on the team with three assists and fifth overall in points with five. Dixon assisted on three goals during the season, one each in victories over Saint Joseph's, Vermont and UMBC.

With Pereira and Dixon helping to power the Hawks' offense, particularly late in the season, it was DeSanti who anchored a strong defensive unit for Hartford. DeSanti helped the Hawks to seven shutouts during the regular season, including whitewashes in the team's final two games of the season. In total, Hartford allowed zero or one goals in 11 of its 18 contests. DeSanti also provided a big point on offense when she assisted on Nicole Weil's game-winning goal at Fairleigh Dickinson in September. The junior from Meriden, Conn. started 14 games, including all eight America East tilts.

Finally, Babin was recognized as an All-Academic performer not only for her leadership and output on the pitch, but also for her 3.52 GPA in the classroom. Babin, a senior communications major from Shelton, Conn., has excelled academically since stepping foot on the West Hartford campus four years ago. Twice, she was named to the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll for achieving a year-long GPA of 3.5 or higher. Last year, she was named to the America East Academic Honor Roll for having a GPA above 3.0. On the field, Babin scored her first collegiate goal against Saint Joseph's last month. From the midfield, Babin has helped on the frontlines of the Hartford defense, while also getting things going in the offensive end.

With those four all-conference performers ready to go, the Hawks open their run at the America East title on Thursday night when they host sixth-seeded Maine at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. The Hawks dropped a tense 1-0 decision at Maine earlier in the year, and will be on the lookout for revenge. Tickets for Thursday's game are still available, and can be purchased by calling 860-768-HAWK or by visiting the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Box Office at the Reich Family Pavilion.