Dec. 14, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Four members of the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team have earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Great Lakes Region honors. Ryan Finley (Sr./F) and Dillon Powers (Sr./M) were first-team picks, while Harrison Shipp (Jr./F) was on the second team and Grant Van De Casteele (Sr./D) was selected to the third team.
Last week, Finley and Powers were named to the NSCAA All-America First Team. They also have been invited to the Major League Soccer Player Combine.
Finley (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley/Duke) played in all 22 matches this season and ranked second nationally in goals (21) and points (46). He led the BIG EAST with 12 goals in league play and was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Finley also is one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is the highest individual award in intercollegiate soccer.
Finley had six game-winning goals, including two golden goals. He scored the golden goal in the title game of the BIG EAST Championship, a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Georgetown. He had six multiple-goal games, including one hat trick. His 21 goals rank fifth in Notre Dame history for a single season. Finley was on the All-Great Lakes Region Third Team last season.
Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) started all 22 matches in the central midfield and posted career-high totals in goals (5), assists (9) and points (19). The assist total was tied for 20th nationally. Powers, a two-time team captain, tallied three game-winning goals and played 2,011 of a possible 2,044 minutes on the field this season.
Powers was one of 15 semifinalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy. He earned first team all-BIG EAST honors this season in addition to being a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. Powers was selected to the All-Great Lakes Region Second Team last season.
Shipp (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) played in every match this season and was second among all Notre Dame players in goals (6), assists (6) and points (18). The goal and point totals were career-best marks, while the assists matched his career-high total. He was a key part of the high-powered Notre Dame offense that finished the season ranked fourth nationally in goals scored with 52, which were the most for the program since 1994.
Shipp was named to the 2012 All-BIG EAST Third Team and also was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America® Second Team. This is his first all-region citation.
Van De Casteele (Plano, Texas/Frisco Centennial) was the only Fighting Irish player to play every possible minute this season. The central defender anchored the Irish backline en route to nine shutouts. He headed in the game winner in the 71st minute of a 1-0 victory at Indiana. This is Van De Casteele’s first all-region honor.
Notre Dame registered a 17-4-1 record this season. The 17 wins were the most for the Irish since 1988. The Fighting Irish won the program’s third BIG EAST Championship title and were the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Championship for the first time ever. Notre Dame fell to eventual national champion Indiana, 2-1 in double-overtime, in the third round of the tournament.
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