SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara University All-America midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy was recognized by College Soccer News on the publication's `Team of the Decade (2000-2009).'

Ballouchy - the 2005 West Coast Conference `Player of the Year' and finalist for the 2005 MAC Herman Trophy - became the sixth first round draft choice from SCU and highest pick in school history when he was taken second overall in the 2005 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake.

A 2002 graduate of Henry Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Ballouchy played two seasons at Santa Clara before deciding to forgo his senior season and turn pro.

Ballouchy's Career Honors at Santa Clara: Soccer America All-America First Team 2005... NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America First Team 2005... CSN All-America First Team 2005... NSCAA First Team Far West All-Region 2005... TDS First Team National Team of the Season 2005... Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Semifinalist 2005... West Coast Conference Player of the Year (2005)... All-WCC First Team 2005... Maryland/adidas Classic All-Classic Team (9/11/05)... Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List 2005... College Soccer News Preseason All-America 2005... All-WCC First Team 2004... West Coast Conference Player of the Month (Sept. 04)... Santa Clara/adidas Classic All-Classic Team (9/18/04)... GMU/Comfort Inn Classic Offensive Most Valuable Player (9/12/04)... diadora Classic Most Valuable Player (9/6/04)... West Coast Conference Player of the Week (9/6/04)... Soccer America's National Team of the Week (9/6/04)... College Soccer News' National Team of the Week (9/6/04)

College Soccer News - December 28, 2009 - Team of the Decade (2000 - 2009)
All-Decade First Team 
Marcus Tracy - Forward -Wake Forest
Alecko Eskandarian - Forward - Virginia
Jason Garey -Forward - Maryland
Luchi Gonzalez -Forward - SMU
Danny O'Rourke - Midfielder - Indiana
Kyle Martino - Midfielder - Virginia
Corben Bone - Midfielder - Wake Forest
Chris Gbandi - Defender -Connecticut
Chris Wingert - Defender - St. John's
Andy Iro - Defender - UC Santa Barbara
Chris Sawyer - Goalkeeper - Notre Dame
 

All-Decade Second Team
Joseph Ngwenya - Forward - Coastal Carolina
Pat Noonan - Forward - Indiana
John Barry Nusum - Forward - Furman
Joe Lapira - Forward - Notre Dame
Sumed Ibrahim - Midfielder - Maryland
Diego Walsh - Midfielder - SMU
Mehdi Ballouchy - Midfielder - Santa Clara
C.J. Klaas - Midfielder - Washington
Julius James - Defender - Connecticut
Danny Jackson - Defender - North Carolina
William Hesmer - Goalkeeper - Wake Forest

All-Decade Third Team
Ryan Pore - Forward - Tulsa
Charlie Davies - Forward - Boston College
Andre Akpan - Forward - Harvard
Alejandro Bedoya - Midfielder - Boston College
Ryan Mack - Midfielder - Indiana
Adolfo Gregorio - Midfielder - UCLA
Scott Jones - Midfielder - UNC Greensboro
Todd Dunivant - Defender - Stanford
Ike Opara - Defender - Wake Forest
Andrew Boyens - Defender - New Mexico
Jovan Bubonja - Goalkeeper - UIC