Aug. 20, 2008
RICHMOND, Va. (August 20, 2008) - Old Dominion senior midfielder Trevor Banks and VCU senior midfielder Gerson Dos Santos have been selected as the CAA pre-season Co-Players of the Year in men's soccer according to a vote the league's head coaches.
Banks contributed six goals and three assists last season for an ODU squad that captured the CAA title and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. He was a first-team All-CAA pick in 2007 after winning the league's Rookie of the Year award in 2005. Dos Santos tallied seven goals and two assists a year ago for a VCU team that went 12-6-2 overall and placed third in the conference. He earned first-team All-CAA accolades last season after making the second team in 2006.
Joining Banks and Dos Santos at midfield on the pre-season All-CAA men's soccer team are Drexel junior Fabio Assumpcao and James Madison senior Nick Zimmerman. Assumpcao (1 goal, 5 assists) has made the All-CAA second team in each of his first two years in the league, while Zimmerman (3 goals, 8 assists) also garnered a spot on the All-CAA second team last season after making the CAA All-Rookie squad in 2005.
Earning pre-season All-CAA recognition at forward are Hofstra sophomore Johannes Grahn, VCU sophomore Jorit Loehr, James Madison sophomore CJ Sapong and William & Mary junior Price Thomas. Grahn scored a team-high 10 goals for the Pride in 2007 to earn a spot on the All-CAA second team and CAA All-Rookie team. Loehr also picked up 2nd team All-CAA and All-Rookie accolades for the Rams after netting seven goals with three assists. Sapong was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and received 1st team All-CAA honors after contributing a team-high 10 goals with one assist for the Dukes. Thomas was also a member of the All-CAA first team after tallying seven goals and three assists for the Tribe.
Named to the pre-season all-conference squad on defense are VCU senior Dirk Dittrich, Northeastern junior Lars Okland and Drexel senior Bryan Ruff. Dittrich was a 2nd-team All-CAA selection last season, while Okland and Ruff both earned spots on the All-CAA first team for the first time in their careers.
At goalkeeper is Old Dominion junior Evan Newton, who was a 2nd team All-CAA honoree last season after posting an impressive 0.63 GAA and leading the conference with 11 shutouts.
ODU hosts American tonight in an exhibition match at 6:30 p.m., then travels to Virginia on Saturday night for an exhibition match. The Monarchs open the regular season On Aug. 29 againstSMU in Virginia's Tournament. ODU's first home game will be Sept 12 against last year's NCAA semi-finalist UMASS in the first round of the ODU/Stihl Soccer Classic.
2008 PRE-SEASON ALL CAA MEN'S SOCCER SQUAD
Johannes Grahn, Hofstra So, FJorit Loehr, VCU So. FCJ Sapong, JMU, So. FPrice Thomas, W&M, Jr. FFabio Assumpcao, Drexel, Jr, MFTrevor Banks, ODU, Sr, MFGerson Dos Santos, VCU, So, MFNick Zimmerman, JMU, Sr, MFDirk Dittrich, VCU, Sr, DLars Okland, NU, Jr, DBran Ruff, Drexel, Sr, D.Evan Newton, ODU, Jr, GK.
Player of the Year: Trevor Banks(ODU) and Gerson Dos Santos, VCU.