Dec. 8, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame seniors Ryan Finley and Dillon Powers have been selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America First Team. The Fighting Irish standouts were among 11 first-team honorees.
Finley (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley/Duke) played in all 22 matches this season and ranks second nationally in goals (21) and points (46). Finley led the BIG EAST with 12 goals in league play and was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. He 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. Finley had six multiple-goal games, including one hat trick. His 21 goals rank fifth in Notre Dame history for a single season.
This is the second All-America honor for Finley. He was named to the NSCAA All-America Third Team during his sophomore season at Duke.
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Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) started all 22 matches in the central midfield and posted career-high totals in goals (5) and assists (9). The assist total currently is 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 ended his career by playing in 73 straight games, including 60 consecutive starts. This is his first All-America citation.
Notre Dame posted a 17-4-1 record this season and captured the program’s third BIG EAST Championship title. The Irish were the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Championship for the first time ever. Notre Dame fell to Indiana, 2-1 in double-overtime, in the third round of the tournament. The 17 wins were the most for the Irish since 1988.
This is the second time Notre Dame has had two NSCAA First Team All-Americans in the same season. Greg Dalby (M) and Joseph Lapira (F) were first-team selections in 2006.
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