One of the finest student-athletes ever at Plymouth State, female or male, Mary-Bridget Blandini achieved a tremendous amount of success during her four years on the Panther women’s soccer team from 1990-93. She led the team to four straight Little East Conference championships, earned First Team All-LEC recognition three times, and was named Little East Women’s Soccer Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993.
A dominating offensive player, Blandini (known then as Mary-Bridget Pawlik) became Plymouth State’s all-time women’s soccer scoring leader with 56 goals and 140 points. She led the Panthers to the first four LEC titles and four NCAA Tournament berths from 1990-93 under head coach Nancy Feldman. Blandini led the team to NCAA Final Four appearances in 1991 and 1993, including the title game in 1993, and a combined four-year record of 60-9-4.
Blandini scored a then-record 19 goals as a junior, and came back to break her own mark with 20 goals as a senior in 1993. She received First Team All-America honors both years, and was named NCAA National Women’s Soccer Player of the Year in 1993.
A native of North Andover, Mass., Blandini was well known and respected for her outstanding personality and character. She was a terrific teammate and opponent. M-B was so skillful, a former coach brags that M-B could beat her opponent with that Golden Left Foot, even if they knew it was coming.
Plymouth State recognized Blandini with its two highest honors, inducting her into its Athletic Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility in 1999, months after retiring her jersey No. 15, the only uniform number of a female student-athlete in school history to be retired.