Michelle Malatesta Martin is arguably one of the best goalkeepers to play for the women’s soccer program. A four-time All-AMCC choice, she started in all but one game and led the Lions to three straight conference championships. Malatesta owns the program record for career saves, career shut outs, saves in a single season and games played by a goalkeeper.
From the beginning of her career, Malatesta instilled confidence in her teammates being the final player back on defense. She tallied a 0.95 goals-against average, recording 121 saves and eight shut-out victories as a freshman to earn her AMCC Newcomer of the Year. Malatesta led Behrend to the AMCC title and a bid to the ECAC Tournament, where she posted 15 saves in the postseason game.
Her sophomore year marked the first of three seasons she would be elected captain of the squad. Malatesta had identical numbers to her freshman campaign. She had eight shut-out wins in 21 games played, making 110 saves and posting a 0.95 goals-against average. Malatesta added another AMCC crown to her resume and a second straight trip to the ECAC Playoffs.
Her superior play between the pipes as a junior led the Lions to their third AMCC Championship and a first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. She made 127 saves for a 1.33 goals-against average, while recording eight shut outs for a third year in a row. In her stellar four-year career, Malatesta earned the two most prestigious awards given by the conference, Newcomer of the Year in 1998 and AMCC Most Valuable Player in 2000. She was also named to the All-Conference team.
As a senior, she had her highest season total for saves with 129 and made eight shut outs, both of which would lead to program records. Malatesta helped the Lions finish second in the AMCC Tournament and was chosen to the All-AMCC team for the fourth consecutive year.
She holds the record in four goalkeeper categories to this day; career games (84), career saves (487), career shut outs (32) and possesses three of the top four spots in single season saves, including the number one slot with 129.
Malatesta is a teacher in the Chartiers Valley School District and resides in Pittsburgh, Pa., with her husband, Eric, and three children, Camden, Cailin and Mia.