Feb. 8, 2006
NORFOLK, VA-- In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Old Dominion University, Prince Attoh ('75), Attila Vendegh ('03) and Sean Crowley ('89) headline the13-member all-time ODU men's soccer squad announced today by the athletic deparmentas voted on by fans on the ODU athletic website. In all, six of the first team selectionsare in the ODU Sports Hall of Fame; five were conference Players-of-the-Year and sevenearned All-American honors.
Attoh appeared on 40 of the 64 ballots, while Crowley and Vendegh were on 32 of the ballots cast. Rounding out the first team are: Sean Fahey ('79); Joe Mallia (90); Neil Paynter ('92); Carlos Mendes ('02); Chris Haywood ('90); Kevon Harris ('05);Trevor McEachron ('06), Michael Valantassis ('78), Jimmy Tanner ('00) and Steve Byrd ('79).
Although he played only one season at ODU, Prince Attoh from Monrovia, Liberia was the most prolific single-season scorer in Monarch soccer history. He poured in 26 goals that year in leading the Monarchs to a 13-2 record and the NCAA Division II tournament. Attoh was the Player of the Year in the state of Virginia that season. Attohplayed professionally in the MISL was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
Attila Vendegh (Bratslavia, Slovakia) was the Monarch scoring machine for four straight seasons. He scored 15 goals as a freshman and sophomore, 16 as a junior and ten as a senior. ODU was 43-26-9, including a 15-4-1 record as a senior in the fall of 2003 and two NCAA atlarge appreances. The two-time All-American was a four-time All-CAA selection and Two-time CAA Player of the Year. Vendegh was also the 2000 CAA Rookie of the Year. An outstanding student, Vendegh earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors in 2003. He was the CAA's Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2004 and Old Dominion University's Male Scholar of the Year that same season.
Sean Crowley (Coventry, England) helped anchor the Monarchs from 1985-88. He was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1988, and the ODU Alumni Association's Male Athlete of the Year. Crowley earned All-Sun Belt and All-South Region honors twice. He led ODU in scoring in 1988 with 18 goals and seven assists for 43 points. Crowley also was a standout in the classroom earning first team national honors by the ISAA and was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 1988. ODU won the Sun Belt Conference title in 1987 as ODU was 14-3-2 under the late head coach, Mike Berticelli, who along with Crowley are both in the ODU Sports Hall of Fame. Crowley was inducted in 1994.
Sean Fahey was a two-time All-South selection in 1977 and `78 and was inductedinto the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Joe Mallia recorded 20 shutouts during hiscareer and ranked tenth in the nation with a 0.68 goals against average in 1989 as ODU captured the Sun Belt title and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Mallia was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Neil Paynter was a standout on both ends of the field and was named CAA Player ofthe Year and Tournament MVP in 1991 as ODU captured its first CAA title and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The native of Bermuda was inducted into the ODUSports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Carlos Mendes, who now plays in the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars of the MLS, was a three-time first team All-CAA selection. He led ODU in assists in 1999 with 11. Williamsburg native Chris Haywood earned third team ISAA All-American and Sun Belt Player of the Year honors in 1987.
Kevon Harris was a second team NSCAA All-American and first team All-CAAin 2004 while teammate Trevor McEachron was one of the CAA's all-time great defensive players earning All-CAA honors four times. He was the CAA Defensive Playerof the Year in 2003 as well as first team All-American by the NSCAA that sameyears. McEchron missed the 2004 season due to a severe knee injury, but returned in2005 and earned All-CAA honors.
Michael Valantassis was a first team All-South selection and Virginia Player of the Year in 1976. Jimmy Tanner was a third team NSCAA All-American, third teamNSCAA Academic team selection, CAA Player of the Year in 1999 after scoring 20 goals that season. Steve Byrd was a two-time All-South selection and the first Monarch to play pro ball. At the age of 19, Byrd played for the Washington Diplomats in theNorth American Soccer League, and was the youngest member of the squad.
Also receiving votes were: Tim Borer, Paul Cann; Jae Cho; Doros Constantinou;Sam Cameron, Mike Edmonds, Goran Elovsson, Tim Figuerido; Guttorm Dilling; RickJenik; Byron Mitchell; Brett Phillips; Mike Sweeney; Carlos Vasco and Torbjorn Wik.
The next all-time team to be selected is men's basketball.