CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - UMBC locked up at least of share of the America East men's soccer regular-season title and the top seed for the conference championship for the third-straight season with a win over Vermont on Saturday. Hartford, Binghamton and Vermont clinched berths in the conference championship with wins, while UMass Lowell extended its unbeaten streak to five games. The regular season wraps up on Wednesday.Here are the conference weekly award winners:
Player of the Week
Michael DiCesare, UMBC, Sr., Midfielder, Westerville, Ohio
- Recorded a hat trick with his first three goals of the season in UMBC's win over Vermont Saturday,
- Scored in the 30th, 33rd and 71st minutes.
- The first three-goal game was the first by an America East player this season.
Rookie of the Week
Austin Kroll, UMass Lowell, Fr., Goalkeeper, Indiana, Pa.
- Recorded his fifth shutout and third in conference play in UMass Lowell's 1-0 win at New Hampshire Saturday.
- Stopped all eight shots he faced.
- This is Kroll's third straight honor and fourth of the season.
Notes
- Binghamton, Hartford, UMBC, which won twice, and UMass Lowell posted league games last week.
- UMBC (5-0-1) secured at least a share of the regular-season and the No. 1 seed for the America East Championship for the second-straight year.
- The Retrievers are unbeaten in their last 22 games against America East foes (18-0-4), the longest such stretch in league history.
- Hartford, Binghamton, Vermont and Stony Brook have also clinched spots in the tournament field.
- UMass Lowell, which is ineligible for the postseason due to its transition to Division I, sits in second place with 13 points after extending its unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1).
- The other two teams (Albany and New Hampshire) remain alive for the final three tournament bids.
- The tournament bracket will be finalized Wednesday follwing the final four games of the season. Vermont hosts New Hampshire, Hartford visits UMass Lowell, Stony Brook hosts UMBC and Albany entertains Binghamton.
Weekly Award Winners
Sept. 2 - Player of the Week: Kay Banjo, UMBC; Co-Rookies of the Week: Jake Barros, Albany; Andre Morrison, Hartford
Sept. 8 - Player of the Week: Brad Cole, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Eamonn Kitson, Vermont
Sept. 15 - Player of the Week: Brian Wright, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Afonso Pinheiro, Albany
Sept. 22 - Player of the Week: Fazal Nabi, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Afonso Pinheiro, Albany
Sept. 29 - Co-Players of the Week: Duff Thomson, New Hampshire/Martin Giordano, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Austin Kroll, UMass Lowell/Thibault Duval, Stony Brook
Oct. 6 - Player of the Week: Tim Allen, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Tom McMahon, Stony Brook
Oct. 13 - Player of the Week: Brian Wright, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Scott McKirgan, Hartford
Oct. 20 - Co-Players of the Week: David MacKinnon, Hartford/Conor Leland, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Austin Kroll, UMass Lowell
Oct. 27 - Players of the Week: Wuilito Fernandez, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Austin Kroll, UMass Lowell
Nov. 3 - Players of the Week: Michael DiCesare; Rookie of the Week: Austin Kroll, UMass Lowell