Jan. 3, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Dillon Powers, a junior midfielder on the Notre Dame men’s soccer team, recently was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-America second team, while Fighting Irish seniors Greg Klazura (D), Michael Knapp (D), Adam Mena (M) and Chris Sutton (M) were selected to the NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region second team.
Powers (Plano, Texas) was a starter in all 18 matches during the 2011 campaign and registered six points on one goal and four assists. He was named to the all-BIG EAST second team along with being an all-Great Lakes Region second-team selection. This marks the fifth straight season that Notre Dame has produced an NSCAA Scholar All-American. Jeb Brovsky and Steven Perry earned the honor last season. This is the first NSCAA Scholar All-America citation for Powers.
Klazura (Rockford, Ill.) started every match at left back this past season and ranked third among all Notre Dame players with a career-high three assists. Klazura was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week along with being selected to the Soccer America national team of the week after helping the Irish defense blank then No. 3 Louisville in a 1-0 victory. He also was a 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalist. Klazura was named to the NSCAA Scholar All-Region first team last season.
Knapp (Arlington, Texas), a right back, was a starter in 12 of the 13 matches he played in during the 2011 season. He missed a stretch of the season due to injury. Sutton (Apple Valley, Minn.) started every game in the central midfield and scored one goal.
Mena (Holland, Mich.) notched 11 points on three goals and a team-high five assists this past season. All of those offensive figures were career-best marks for Mena. He was named to the College Soccer News national team of the week and to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Sept. 19 after tallying a combined five points on two goals and an assist in wins over Michigan and Michigan State. Mena also was selected to the NSCAA Scholar All-Region second team last season.
The Fighting Irish finished the 2011 season with a 9-5-4 record, which included a 5-3-1 mark in BIG EAST play.
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