Nov. 28, 2001
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's soccer program added three more names to an already long list of post-season honors when Jeff Stewart was named to the second team of the All-Far West Region squad, while Rusty Johnson and Ryan Cochrane earned third teams honors.
Stewart was named to the All-Far West Region team following a 2001 season in which he also earned West Coast Conference Player and Co-Defender of the Year honors. The senior from Bellevue, Wash., led Santa Clara to its eighth overall WCC Title in 2001, and first since 1997. He finished third on the team in points with six, and goals with three.
Johnson earned the third team honor after a year in which he tallied a 0.80 goals-against average and a team-high 40 saves. Johnson guided a defense that allowed only 18 goals in 21 games, three of which came in the team's final game. For his career Johnson ranks second all-time at Santa Clara in shutouts with 23.5, fourth all-time in saves with 164 and eighth all-time in goals-against average with a 0.79 career average.
Cochrane came in to the Bronco program as a highly touted recruit who would see considerable time in his rookie season. The freshman from Portland, Ore., did not disappoint anyone as he earned second team All-WCC honors and now third team All-Far West Region honors. Cochrane helped anchor one of the nation's best defenses while gaining valuable experience that should translate into a leadership role in the coming years.
12 of the 33 players selected to the three All-Far West Region teams came from the WCC, which placed five of its seven teams into the 2001 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. Santa Clara earned the automatic berth from the conference by winning the league title in 2001. The Broncos defeated California by a score of 1-0 in triple-overtime to advance to the second round of the tournament where they eventually fell to No. 2 Stanford by a score of 3-1.
Santa Clara finished the 2001 season with a 12-9-0 overall record.