Madeline Anderson enjoyed a memorable season for Hofstra, on and off the pitch. (Photo courtesy of Hofstra’s Communications Dept.)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Hofstra University junior defender Madeline Anderson and senior defender Kelly Gerdes have been named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-East Region first team, the organization announced Tuesday night.

Both exercise science majors and Long Island natives, Anderson and Gerdes have been strong in the classroom aand on the pitch.

Hailing from Westbury, N.Y, Anderson, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association defensive player of the year, carries a 3.34 grade-point average.

Gerdes, a Wantagh, N.Y. native and an All-CAA second-team selection, has posted a 3.74 GPA.

Anderson and Gerdes served as Hofstra’s center-back tandem, anchoring the Pride to 11 shutouts this season while allowing three goals through a 9-0 conference schedule. Both were instrumental in helping Hofstra register a 12-game winning streak and 14-game unbeaten run en route to the CAA regular-season and tournament championships and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I women’s soccer tournament.

Because both were named to the All-East Region First Team, they are eligible for Scholar All-America, which will be released by United Soccer Coaches Thursday.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.