CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- In the midst of one of its best men’s soccer seasons in school history, the University of New Hampshire has been honored with three annual conference awards, as decided in a vote by the league’s head coaches and announced today. Senior Joe Annese (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) was named Defender of the Year and junior Colin O’Donnell (Springfield, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) was tabbed Goalkeeper of the Year, while Rob Thompson and his assistant were selected Coaching Staff of the Year. Two of the nation’s leading scorers, Andrew Bulls (Millersville, Md./McDonogh) and Levi Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) from UMBC were named Striker and Midfielder of the Year, respectively. Stony Brook University’s Leonardo Fernandes (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon), who is among the conference leaders in scoring, was chosen Rookie of the Year.
Annese, a senior who has made 56 career appearances for the Wildcats, led a defense that has allowed just 15 goals all season. The UNH back line stepped up during America East play, surrendering just four scores and recording three shutouts. Annese also tallied his first two collegiate goals this season, both coming at crucial times. He provided the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Colgate on Sept. 19 and had the Wildcats’ lone goal in a 1-1 tie against Stony Brook on Oct. 24.
O’Donnell, also the first-team goalkeeper, leads the conference in goals-against average (0.68) and save percentage (.844). The junior saved his best effort for America East play, allowing just two scores in six games and registering three shutouts. O’Donnell posted a miniscule 0.33 GAA against conference foes, the seventh-best mark in league history, and lowest since 1994.
Thompson, who is in his 15th season as head coach at UNH, led his squad to a 9-6-2 record and a near perfect 6-0-1 mark in America East play to earn the program’s first regular-season crown since 1994 and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming conference tournament for first time ever. The Wildcats also became the first team to complete the league schedule unbeaten since Hofstra in 1997. Thompson, who was also the America East Coach of the Year in 2006, is assisted by Ewan Seabrook.
Bulls, a sophomore who was named America East Player of the Week twice this season (Sept. 8, 14), leads the nation with 40 points, the most by an America East Player since Hartford’s Alon Lubezky tallied the same amount in 2003. Also named the national player of the week by the NSCAA and College Soccer News on Sept. 8, Bulls has a league-best 15 goals, including eight game-winning scores. He is tied for second with 10 assists.
Houapeu, a junior, ranks right behind his teammate in points nationally with 39 (14 goals, 11 assists) and is tied for the lead in helpers. Named America East Player of the Week on Sept. 21 and Oct. 26, Houapeu recorded a league-best 14 points and five goals against America East foes. His production helped UMBC earn its first national ranking since 1999 and record its most wins (12) since 2000.
Fernandes, a freshman, is tied for fifth in the league in goals (6) and deadlocked for seventh in points (14). Fernandes, who was named Rookie of the Week on Oct. 12 and Nov. 1, scored three goals in conference play, all game-winners, to help Stony Brook earn the No. 2 seed and an all-important first-round bye for the America East Championship. The Seawolves’ 4-2-1 mark in league play is their best since going 6-1-1 in 2005 en route to their only conference title.
Bulls is joined at forward on the all-conference first team by Boston University’s Aaron O’Neal (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) and New Hampshire’s Chris Banks (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) who combined for 17 goals on the season.
Houapeu, one of four midfielders on the first team, is accompanied by Boston University teammates Samuel Appiah (Obuasi, Ghana/University of Ghana) and Michael Bustamante (Chelsea, Mass./Chelsea), the 2008 Midfielder of the Year, as well as University of Hartford’s Ivan Guarin (Pereira, Colombia/White Plains/Herkimer CC), a repeat first-team selection.
Seniors Liam Carson (Broxburn, Scotland/Montagu Secondary) from Binghamton and Cedomir Tomcic (Novi Sad, Serbia/Mid-Continent Univ.) from Hartford join Annese as the first-team backs.
The second-team forwards are Binghamton’s Jake Keegan (Stormville, N.Y./John Jay), Hartford’s Carlos Villa (Las Conchas, Guatemala/Arrayanes/San Jacinto College), a first-team choice last season, and Stony Brook’s Berian Gobeil (Montreal, Quebec/Laurier MacDonald/Champlain).
Fernandes is joined in the second-team midfield unit by Binghamton teammates Ryan Walter (Snyder, N.Y./Nichols) and Scott Zobre (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie). UNH’s Brad Hilton (Merrimack, N.Y./Merrimack) rounds out the selections.
The Bearcats’ Kyle Kucharski (Maine, N.Y./Maine-Endwell), Boston U.’s Colin Henry (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) and Stony Brook’s Collin Geoghegan (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) are the second-team defenders.
Binghamton’s Jason Stenta (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) is the second-team goalkeeper for the second time in his career (2006) after ranking second with a 0.98 GAA and a .823 save percentage.
Gobeil, Fernandes and Keegan were unanimous All-Rookie choices, along with Boston University’s Ade Akinsanya (Sacramento, Calif./John F. Kennedy) and Hartford’s James Stamopolous (Mississauga, Ontario/Port Credit Secondary). Rounding out the selections were UMBC’s Liam Paddock (Worcestershire, England/Chase Technology College) and Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall), New Hampshire’s Josh Bronner (Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown), Alex Hussein (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and Charlie Roche (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and Stony Brook’s Anthony Rogic (Boonton, N.J./Morris Catholic).
All 33 all-conference selections will vie for the league title at the 2009 America East Men’s Soccer Championship, which begins with quarterfinal action on Saturday, November 7. For complete information on America East Men’s Soccer Championship visit Championship Central.