Central Islip, N.Y. - Senior Jose Batista (Rego Park, N.Y.) from Molloy College has been tabbed the 2009 East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Players of the Year, as voted on by the league's coaches. Dowling senior Juan Vargas (San Jose, Costa Rica) has selected the Defensive Player of the Year and sophomore Chris Kucera (Sayville, N.Y.) from Dowling garners Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Daniel Stoker (London, England) from Queens has been named Rookie of the Year.
Batista accumulated 28 points on the season with 12 goals and four assists to top the Lions' charts in scoring. He leads the conference in points per game (2.0) and ranks second in goals per game (.86).
Vargas helped the Golden Lions to a 13-5 overall record. He anchored a defense that allowed only 18 goals while posting seven shutouts on the season.
Kucera compiled a 10-2 record, including five shutouts defending the net for the Golden Lions this year. He made 42 stops on the season while allowing just eight goals to boast a .61 goals against average.
Stoker had a standout freshmen year leading the Knights in scoring with 21 points (9g, 3a). He ranks third in the conference in points per game (1.62) and goals per game (.69).
Leading his team to a shared ECC Regular Season title, Andreas Lindberg has been voted the ECC Men's Soccer Coach of the Year by his peers. Lindberg guided the Pioneers to an 11-5-1 regular season finish with a 5-2 mark in conference play to earn the third seed in the ECC Tournament.
Batista, Vargas and Kucera are joined by: Frank Alesci (M, Queens), Brian Buckmire (B, Queens), Moussa Keita (M, Dowling), Akil Pompey (B, Bridgeport), Carl Rydin (M, Dowling), Steven Schneider (F, Dowling), Farah Toure (F, NYIT) and Lamine Traore (F, Dowling).
The All-Conference Second Team recipients include forwards: John-Paul Hughes (Molloy), LeRoux Lothian (Bridgeport) and Stoker; midfielders David Carlsson (C.W. Post), Michael Nicolini (Dowling), Graeme Roderick (Molloy) and Habib Sylla (Bridgeport); defenders: Mohammed Habibzi (NYIT), Leron Haywood (C.W. Post) and Chris Hernandez (STAC) along with goalkeeper Cosimo D'Agostino (NYIT).
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2009 ECC Men's Soccer All-Conference | ||
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First Team |
Second Team | |
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F |
Steven Schneider - Dowling |
John-Paul Hughes - Molloy |
|
F |
Farah Toure - NYIT |
LeRoux Lothian - Bridgeport |
|
F |
Lamine Traore - Dowling |
Daniel Stoker - Queens |
|
M |
Frank Alesci - Queens |
David Carlsson - C.W. Post |
|
M |
Jose Batista - Molloy |
Michael Nicolini - Dowling |
|
M |
Moussa Keita - Dowling |
Graeme Roderick - Molloy |
|
M |
Carl Rydin - Dowling |
Habib Sylla - Bridgeport |
|
B |
Brian Buckmire - Queens |
Mohammed Habibzi - NYIT |
|
B |
Akil Pompey - Bridgeport |
Leron Haywood - C.W. Post |
|
B |
Juan Vargas - Dowling |
Chris Hernandez - STAC |
|
GK |
Chris Kucera - Dowling |
Cosimo D'Agostino - NYIT |
Offensive Player of the Year: Jose Batista, Molloy, Sr., Rego Park, N.Y.
Defensive Player of the Year: Juan Vargas, Dowling, Sr., San Jose, Costa Rica
Goalkeeper of the Year: Chris Kucera, Dowling, So., Sayville, N.Y.
Rookie of the Year: Daniel Stoker, Queens, London, England
Coach of the Year: Andreas Lindberg, C.W. Post
