Nov. 8, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's and women's soccer teams, which both earned West Coast Conference championships this season, dominated the WCC year-end awards that were announced by the conference on Wednesday. Head coaches Jerry Smith and Cameron Rast were both named the Coach of the Year, while senior Marian Dalmy was named WCC Player of the Year on the women's side. Bronco freshman Stephen McCarthy earned Co-Freshman of the Year honors on the men's side. Overall, the men's and women's teams combined to have six first-team All-WCC selections, three second-team All-WCC picks and 10 All-WCC Honorable Mention selections. Four freshmen earned spots on the All-Freshman team.
"I am ecstatic for our players and they are well deserving of the honor," said Smith. "When you have five players on the first team that speaks to the depth on our team. That depth has helped carry us to the conference championship and to a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. I never want to be a team that relies on one or two players and our success this year shows that having depth makes you a better team."
Dalmy becomes the fifth Bronco in program history to be named WCC Player of the Year. Leslie Osborne was the last SCU recipient of the honor, winning in both 2003 and 2004. She finished the regular season with six goals and six assists while contributing to a defense that allowed only 13 goals in 20 games and posted 11 shutouts. A finalist for the M.A.C Hermann Trophy, Dalmy was named WCC Player of the Month in October.
"Marian has been dynamite for us on both sides of the ball," said Smith. "Her primary responsibility is defending and she has been great in that regard. Offensively, she is tied for second in conference games which is very rare. She has been able dominate a game from the defense which is not typical either and she has provided great leadership for us. I think that she is very deserving of the award."
Joining Dalmy on the All-WCC First Team are freshman Kiki Bosio, sophomore Amanda Poach, junior Meagan Snell and senior Lauren Zealear. Snell led the team with 11 goals in 2006, while Bosio was the team leader in assists with eight in her first season at SCU. Bosio also earned a spot on the All-Freshman team. Poach followed up her stellar freshman year with another great campaign in her central midfield role this season, while Zealear, a central defender, was another one of the keys to the Broncos suffocating defense that posted a 0.64 goals against average.
Junior Brittany Klein was the women's team's sole representative on the All-WCC Second Team, while junior Jordan Angeli, sophomore Meagan McCray and sophomore Dani Potts earned honorable accolades.
On the men's side, along with Rast's coach of the year honor, 11 other players were recognized by the conference, a program record.
"I am very pleased that we had so many players recognized with all-conference honors," said Rast. "I am glad that Keith (DeVey) earned his place on the first team with his excellent play this year. He has been a great contributor for four seasons. Erik (Ustruck) and Peter (Lowry) are also very deserving of their selections. I thought that we may have even gotten a few more guys onto the first or second team."
After a stellar rookie campaign, McCarthy was recognized as the top freshman joining Adam Eyre as the only Broncos to earn that distinction. The central midfielder from Colleyville, Texas started 19 games for SCU and provided a great presence both offensively and defensively. His ability to move the ball got the Broncos offense started while his work rate kept opposing attacks off balance.
After two seasons as an honorable mention selection, senior Keith DeVey was named to the All-WCC First Team for the first time this season. DeVey scored six goals and notched one assist to lead the team with 13 points, while moving himself into the top 10 all-time in goals scored in program history. Junior Peter Lowry and senior Erik Ustruck each earned second-team All-WCC accolades for the second time in their careers. Lowry previously earned the honor last year, while Ustruck was recognized in 2003.
Along with DeVey, Lowry and Ustruck, seven more players received honorable mention recognition. Goalkeeper Joseph Buttitta, junior Matt Hatzke, freshman Amaechi Igwe, sophomore Brian Martin, McCarthy, sophomore Jide Ogunbiyi and junior Jamil Roberts all earned recognition. Ogunbiyi received the same honor in 2005. Igwe and McCarthy are joined on the All-Freshman team by midfielder Jeff Cosgriff.
Below is a complete list of the All-WCC honorees.
Men's Soccer
Player of the Year: Rob Valentino, USF
Defensive Player of the Year: Luis Robles, POR
Co-Freshman of the Year: Ciaran O'Brien, USD; Stephen McCarthy, SCU
Coach of the Year: Cameron Rast, SCU
First Team
Nick Blanco, LMU; Bobby Burling, LMU; Michael Caso, USD; Keith DeVey, SCU; Matt Fitzgerald, SMC; Ryan Guy, USD; George Josten, GON; Kevin Meissner, USD; Luis Robles, POR; Christopher Sanders, POR; Rob Valentino, USF.
Second Team
Diego Barrera, LMU; Alex Elliott, POR; Dylan Leslie, SMC; Kevin Long, USF; Peter Lowry, SCU; Ciaran O'Brien, USD; Chris Rodd, USF; Geremy Uhl, USF;
Erik Ustruck, SCU; Collen Warner, POR; Austin Washington, GON.
Honorable Mention
Desmond Brooks, SMC; Joseph Buttitta, SCU; Aaron Chandler, USF; Alex Christlieb, SMC; Matthew Dallman, POR; Jawaan Delaney, LMU; Tim Grey, USD;
Matt Hatzke, SCU; Amaechi Igwe, SCU; Brian Martin, SCU; Stephen McCarthy, SCU; Jide Ogunbiyi, SCU; John Palladino, GON; Sam Reeder, USD; John Reha, GON; Jamil Roberts, SCU;
Ben Sawyer, GON; Junior Ybarra, LMU.
All-Freshman Team
Conor Chinn, USF; Jeff Cosgriff, SCU; Logan Emory, POR; Tim Grey, USD;
Amaechi Igwe, SCU; Dylan Leslie, SMC; Stephen McCarthy, SCU; Ciaran O'Brien, USD; Tye Perdido, GON; Ryan Peterman, USD; Collen Warner, POR.
Women's Soccer
Player of the Year: Marian Dalmy, SCU
Defensive Player of the Year: Joslyn Slovek, LMU
Freshman of the Year: Michelle Enyeart, POR
Coach of the Year: Jerry Smith, SCU
First Team
Kiki Bosio, SCU; Marian Dalmy, SCU; Michelle Enyeart, POR; Stephanie Lopez, POR; Amanda Poach, SCU; Leigh Ann Robinson, USD; Lindsey Redlin, PEP; Joslyn Slovek, LMU; Meagan Snell, SCU; Angie Woznuk, POR; Lauren Zealear, SCU.
Second Team
Cori Alexander, POR; Veronica Ambort, USD; Kelsey Baker, PEP; Jaime Bell, LMU; Chelsea Hunt, USF; Brittany Klein, SCU; Rachel Rapinoe, POR; Lisa Sari, POR; Whitney Temple, LMU; Emily Wynne, PEP; Lauren Zuckerman, GON.
Honorable Mention Jordan Angeli, SCU; McKeena Belzer, SMC; Kara Breithaupt, USF; Jen Brewer, PEP; Kendra Chandhoke, POR; Sarah Churchill, SMC; Jessica Duty, USF; Kari Evans, POR; Kimberly Feeney, LMU; Hilary Fisher, USF; Katie Hodgson, USF; Hallie Huston, USD; Katie Kimure, USF; Mallory Lee, SMC; Nanda McCormick, GON; Meagan McCray, SCU; Sophia Medina, PEP; Christine Mock, USD; Danielle Potts, SCU; Tana Smothermon, LMU; Christine Soma, GON; Vanessa Vella, USD.
All-Freshman Team
Kiki Bosio, SCU; Kendra Chandhoke, POR; Michelle Enyeart, POR; Kimberly Feeney, LMU; Taylor Hall, GON; Tiffany Harrison, LMU; Hallie Huston, USD; Sophia Medina, PEP; Christine Mock, USD; Courtney Price, PEP; Jessie Thalman, GON.