Dec. 14, 2006
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The postseason honors keep rolling in for Notre Dame’s Joseph Lapira (Lake Charles, La./Saint Louis Catholic). The junior forward was named the Soccer America Men’s Player of the Year along with being selected as one of 11 Soccer America MVPs for the 2006 season. Lapira also was tabbed as a first-team All-American by College Soccer News, while his senior teammate Greg Dalby (Poway, Calif./Poway) was named to the second team.
Lapira, who led the nation in points with 50 and goals with 22 during the 2006 campaign, took home the Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C.) Hermann Trophy on Dec. 2. The M.A.C. Hermann Trophy is the official player of the year award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He became the first player in the history of the Notre Dame men’s program to be named the national player of the year from any organization.
The Louisiana native took home BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honors and joined Dalby as a unanimous choice on the all-BIG EAST first team. Lapira appeared in all 23 matches this season, making 20 starts. He notched 11 game-winners, including two in this year’s NCAA Tournament to help lead the Fighting Irish into the quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
The 11-man MVP unit is Soccer America’s official All-America team. With his recent honors, Lapira becomes the sixth All-American in program history. Joining him with that honor from Notre Dame are Dalby (2005 & 2006), goalkeeper Chris Sawyer (2003 & 2004), forward Justin Detter (2003), midfielder Tony Capasso (1996) and forward Randy Morris (1988).
Dalby, a midfielder, is no stranger to All-America honors as he was selected to the NSCAA/adidas, College Soccer News and Soccer Times first teams last season. He was also a first-team member on this year’s NSCAA/adidas All-America squad. The Irish co-captain started all 23 games, tallying two goals, this season. He was tabbed as the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year along with being a unanimous first-team all-conference pick.
Notre Dame finished the season with a 15-6-2 record and ranked 6th in the final NSCAA/adidas poll. That marks the highest final NSCAA/adidas ranking ever for the Fighting Irish program. The previous best was eighth in 2003.
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