Aislinn McIlvenny

Classroom

An exercise science major, McIlvenny owns a 3.75 grade point average and is on target to graduate in December 2014. She was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team in 2013 and is a two-time MAAC All-Academic team member. In the spring 2014 semester, McIlvenny received a 3.94 grade point average.

“When it comes to school and work, she’s all about business and being the best she can be,” head coach Brendan Lawler said. “She can do it all.”

Character

McIlvenny transferred to Manhattan College from Charleston Southern in South Carolina after her sophomore year. At the start of her freshman year, McIlvenny partially tore her anterior cruciate ligament. After nearly a month of rest, she fully tore the ACL in her first game after her recovery. That injury forced her to have surgery and not play her freshman year.

“That was a huge change in my life,” McIlvenny said. “It was awful—not being able to play when you’ve played your whole life. That was a big motivator to come back and be better than I was.”

McIlvenny played one season at Charleston Southern before coming to Manhattan College, just an hour away from her family. She has joined two former high school teammates on the Jaspers’ squad and is thriving.

Manhattan College was also one of 23 Division I squads to earn the 2013 College Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Silver Award, given by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The award recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior and adherence to the laws of the game, as reflected by the number of yellow caution cards or red ejection cards they are shown by referees throughout the season.

The Silver Award, which Manhattan received, is given to teams that accumulate no red cards and a maximum of five yellow cards during a season.

Community

Manhattan’s women’s soccer program organized a Breast Cancer Awareness Day in October 2013, giving fans the opportunity to make a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The team also sold T-Shirts on behalf of the cause. All proceeds were donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

McIlvenny also is a member of Manhattan College’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Competition

A two-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference second team honoree, McIlvenny led the Jaspers in goals (six) and points (15) during the 2013 campaign. She started all 17 matches that she played in 2013 and scored three game-winning goals.

In 2012, her first season at Manhattan, McIlvenny started 16 of 17 matches that she played. Playing primarily in the midfield, she had two goals and an assist.

A dynamic two-way player, McIlvenny is a clinical finisher as well as a terrific playmaker. She has served as the quarterback of the Jaspers’ offensive attack during the past two seasons and is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the conference. She recently was selected to the 2014 All-MAAC preseason first team by the league’s head coaches.