Nov. 13, 2003
VERNON, Conn. – (11-13-03) Eight University of Notre Dame men’s soccer players earned all-conference awards at the BIG EAST men’s soccer banquet Thursday evening, led by goalkeeper of the year Chris Sawyer. Sawyer walked away with one of the six major awards handed out by the conference, while seven teammates received all-conference accolades as well.
Sawyer enters this weekend’s BIG EAST Championship semifinals with 11 shut outs this season, a 0.72 goals-against average and has held Notre Dame’s opponents to one or zero goals in 17 of 19 games played this season. He follows through on his preseason award, as the conference coaches named Sawyer the preseason keeper of the year back in August.
Sawyer was joined on the all-BIG EAST first team by teammates senior forward Justin Detter and junior defender Jack Stewart.
Detter is second on the team in goals with 11 this season and has provided game- winning scores in four games. He joined St. John’s Chris Wingert (the defensive player of the year) as the only unanimous selections on the all-BIG EAST first team.
Stewart has helped the Notre Dame defense hold its opponents to 14 goals in 19 games this season. A middle defender in the Irish back line, Stewart has scored a goal this season (vs. Syracuse) and anchored a defense which has posted 11 shut outs.
Notre Dame was represented on the all-BIG EAST second team by junior defender Kevin Goldthwaite and senior midfielder Chad Riley. Goldthwaite has been among the most active players on the team this season, providing the game-winning goal against #19 Indiana in overtime and contributing six assists. Riley is second on the all-time list for assists at Notre Dame with 32 and leads the team in assists this season with eight, marking the fourth-straight season in which he has led the Irish in that category.
Notre Dame also landed three players on the all-BIG EAST third team. Senior captain Greg Martin, third on the team in scoring, was selected along with forward Devon Prescod and senior Kevin Richards. Prescod leads the team with 12 goals this season, while Richards has been a part of Notre Dame’s outstanding defensive back line.
Rutgers’ Josh Gros was named the offensive player of the year, St. John’s Matia Damiani the midfielder of the year, Virginia Tech’s Ben Nason the rookie of the year and VTU head coach Olvier Weiss accepted the coaching staff of the year award.
Notre Dame returns to action tomorrow in a BIG EAST Championship semifinals match up with Providence at 5 p.m.
All-BIG EAST First Team
Chris Corcoran, MF, SJU
Matia Damiani, MF, SJU
Justin Detter, F, ND
Matt Groenwald, MF, SJU
Josh Gros, F, RU
Guy Melamed, D, BC
Simone Salinno, MF, SJU
Chris Sawyer, GK, ND
Jack Stewart, D, ND
Luke Vercollone, MF, SJU
Chris Wingert, D, SJU
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Bill Arnault, MF, BC
Jeff Curtin, D, GU
Bill Guadette, GK, SJU
Kevin Goldthwaite, D, ND
Crhis Karcz, MF, RU
Ryan McGowan, MF, SHU
Lasse Mertins, D, VT
Lindon Pecorelli, F, UC
Chad Riley, MF, ND
Steave Sealy, F, UC
Keeyan Young, F, UP
All-BIG EAST Third Team
Chris Aloisi, D, SU
Ricardo Arenas, F, RU
Dan Gargan, D, GU
Sacha Kljestan, MF, SHU
Greg Martin, MF, ND
Mpho Moloi, MF, UC
Ben Nason, F, VT
Dave O’Donnell, D, VU
Devon Prescod, F, ND
Kevin Richards, D, ND
Peer Rogge, F, VT