CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - UMBC, the America East regular-season champion and the sixth-ranked men’s soccer team in the nation, claimed four of the conference’s six major awards winners as the league’s accolades for the 2013 season were announced Friday. The awards, along with the all-conference, all-rookie and all-academic teams, were determined in a vote by the league’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
Pete Caringi III headlines UMBC’s four winners, repeating as Striker of the Year, while his teammates, Kadeem Dacres and Oumar Ballo were named Midfielder and Defender of the Year, respectfully, and the Retrievers’ coaches, led by head coach Pete Caringi, Jr., earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Additionally, New Hampshire’s Travis Worra received Goalkeeper of the Year accolades and Vermont’s Brian Wright picked up Rookie of the Year recognition.
Caringi III is the first repeat Striker of the Year in the 12-year history of the award and the fourth Retriever to claim it in five years. Despite being a marked man all season, Caringi, a unanimous choice for the award, leads America East in points (22), points per game (2.38), goals (10), goals per game (0.62) and game-winning goals (4). Caringi, also a first-team all-leaguer for the third-straight year, earned the first two America East Player of the Week honors to start the season.
Dacres is the fifth Retriever to earn Midfielder of the Year honors in the 10 years of the award and was a unanimous selection. The senior ranks third in America East in points (16) and points per game (1.0) and is third in goals per game (0.38), tied for third in goals (6) and tied for seventh with seven assists. Also a first-team All-America East midfielder, Dacres has helped lead a UMBC attack that is tied for 12th nationally scoring 2.0 goals per contest.
Ballo is the second-straight UMBC back to claim the Defender of the Year award. The senior led a defense that ranks second in the league in goals allowed (0.71 gapg). The Retrievers were even better in conference play, allowing just two goals in seven games and recording five of their six shutouts. Ballo, also a first-team defender, contributed offensively as well, scoring a goal and adding an assist.
UMBC’s coaching staff led the program to arguably its best season in school history. The Retrievers, who are 14-1-2 on the season, have their most wins since 2009 and claimed their first regular-season title since 2003. UMBC, which is riding a seven-game unbeaten streak, became just the third team to go through its America East schedule unbeaten since 1997. Caringi, who was also Coach of the Year in 2005, is assisted by Anthony Adams and Sam DeBone.
Worra is the fifth UNH goalkeeper to claim Goalkeeper of the Year honors since 2002. The senior netminder leads America East and ranks among the nation’s best with a 0.52 goals against average, the best mark in all games for an America East goalkeeper since 2003. He’s also first in save percentage (.889) and tied for third with six shutouts. Worra, who allowed just four goals in six league games, has led UNH to its most wins since 2006.
Wright is the first Catamount to be named Rookie of the Year since 2005 and just the fourth all-time. The freshman forward, who also earned second-team all-conference honors, ranks fifth in the league in points (14) and points per game (0.82) and is tied for third with six goals. Wright, who had five of those points in conference play, earned America East Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.
Joining Caringi III, Dacres, Ballo and Worra as first-team all-conference standouts are Hartford’s Damion Lowe (back) and Javoni Simms (forward), UMBC’s Mamadou Kansaye (midfielder), New Hampshire’s Lukas Goerigk (back), Steve Palumbo (midfielder) and Ugochukwu Uche (forward) and Vermont’s Charlie DeFeo (midfielder).
Along with Wright, the second-team consists of Albany’s Anthony Rozzano (midfielder), Hartford’s Anthony Santaga (forward), UMBC’s Marquez Fernandez (back) and Phil Saunders (goalkeeper), UMass Lowell’s Homero Morais (forward) and Kevin Zapata (midfielder), New Hampshire’s A.J. Albers (midfielder) and Andrew Chaput (back), Stony Brook’s Martin Giordano (midfielder) and Vermont’s Scott Kisling (back).
The all-rookie team is made up of Wright plus Albany’s Lucas Palmateer, Hartford’s Romario Jones, David MacKinnon and Jeff Tryon, UMass Lowell’s Wuilito Fernandes and Eric Martin, New Hampshire’s Jesus Tudela-Longas and Chris Wingate, Stony Brook’s Tavares Thompson and Jorge Torres and Vermont’s Bernard Yeboah.
Three all-conference choices are also all-academic honorees. Giordano, Kisling and Santaga are joined by Albany’s Phil DeNara and Chris Nisser, Binghamton’s Ben Nicholson, Hartford’s David Bernhardsson, Blake Jones and Anthony LoBello, UMBC’s Michael DiCesare, New Hampshire’s David Schlatter and Jeff Turner and Stony Brook’s Carlos Villa. To be eligible for all-academic, student-athletes must have sophomore athletic eligibility, attain a 3.30 minimum grade-point average and be a significant contributor athletically.
About America East: The America East Conference provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.