MARIN NAMED 1ST TEAM ALL REGION, THREE OTHERS GAIN SECOND TEAM HONORS
Isabelle Marin gained First Team All-Region 19 and First Team All-Garden State Athletic Conference honors after a fine freshman campaign as a key component in a high-scoring Middlesex offense.
Marin, a midfielder from South Plainfield, NJ, scored eight goals and assisted on six others. She was the lone Colt voted to the First Team.
Genesis Garces-Gomez (Freshman/South Plainfield, NJ), Nicole Naranjo (Sophomore/South River, NJ) and Giselle Chirino (Freshman/Carteret, NJ) each were named Second Team All-Region.
Marin and Garces-Gomez were named First Team All-GSAC while Chirino and Naranjo were also named Second Team All-GSAC.
The Colts had 39 goals this season, the third-highest total in Region 19 and 15th best nationally and Marin was a big part of that success. Throughout the season, she proved to be a fine scoring threat and capable distributor in the Colts midfield.
Marin got her career started in dramatic fashion, scoring four goals in her first collegiate game, a 9-1 win over Bucks CC. She also had a key goal in a 2-2 tie against RCSJ-Cumberland, one of the top teams in Region 19 this season.
Naranjo was the only sophomore to gain postseason accolades in 2023 for Middlesex. A team captain, Naranjo was known for her fantastic work ethic and fearless play. Her aggressive play on 50-50 balls helped the Colts generate offense on a consistent basis all season. She scored two goals this season, including one in the final moments to secure a key tie against Lehigh Carbon.
Chirino was one of the more dynamic players in Region 19 and proved to be one of the top freshman goal scorers in the country. Her 12 goals were the second highest total in Region 19 and placed her 19th in the nation, despite playing fewer games than just about every player ranked in the top 20.
Chirino scored goals in six of the Colts 12 games and had four multi-goal games. Against Camden, Chirino had four goals and assisted on three others in an astounding 11-point effort. Chirino led Middlesex with 28 points,
Garces-Gomez was another freshman who had a big impact for the Colts this season. She was one of just four players in Region 19 to score at least 10 goals this season. Possessing one of the more powerful shots in the region, Garces-Gomez was a threat to score from just about any spot inside the 50. Her best game this season came against Camden CC when she registered a hat trick while also adding three assists.
Under third-year Head Coach Adrienne Giordano, Middlesex once again led the Colts to a strong season. The Colts qualified for the NJCAA Region 19 Tournament for the second straight season.