Nov. 13, 2008
WILMINGTON, N.C.- Old Dominion University sophomore forward Steffen Rabben (Valdres, Norway) wholed the Monarchs in scoring and ranked second in the CAA was selected as the 2008 CAA Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year in the voting by the league's head coaches.. Senior midfieler Trevor Banks earned first team All-CAA honors, while Rabben and junior midfielder Nane Joseph (Yaounde, Cameroon) were selected second team All-CAA. Rabben and freshman defender Tommy Webb (Auckland, New Zealand ) were named to the CAA All-Rookie squad.
UNC Wilmington junior forward Devan Carroll, who led the Colonial Athletic Association in goals and points this season, was selected as the 2008 CAA Men's Soccer Player of the Year.
Other top individual awards went to UNCW sophomore back Indy Smith, who was chosen as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and UNCW head coach Aidan Heaney, who was selected as CAA Coach of the Year. The awards were presented Thursday night on the eve of the semifinals and finals of the CAA Men's Soccer Championship in Wilmington, N.C.
Rabben joined the ODU squad in mid-September and led the Monarchs with seven goals and 16 points despite playing only 13 games. The sophomore forward recorded a hat trick in his collegiate debut against Bryant, and scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in an important CAA road victory at Drexel. Rabben, who ranked second in the CAA in goals and sixth in points, is the fourth ODU player to be selected as the conference's Rookie of the Year. The previous three other ODU Rookies of the Year selections were Trevor Banks in 2005, Attila Vendegh in 2000 and Carlos Mendes in 1998.
Banks repeated as an All-CAA selection. The Madison, WI native scored four goals, assisted on three for 11 total points. He has 20 career goals,11 career assists for 51 career total points. Banks ranks 13th all-time at ODU incareer goals and 11th all-time in career points.
Joseph scored two goals in a match against Northeastern and also assisted on two goals this season. Although just a freshman, Webb was a major key in ODU's defense. He came up with three defensive saves, including two inone match.
Following one of the most competitive regular-season races in league history, the All-CAA squad was also balanced with nine schools placing at least one player on the first team. Carroll and Smith gave UNCW a pair of players on the first team, and Northeastern and James Madison also had two honorees. Representing the Huskies were junior midfielder Lars Okland (1g, 3a) and sophomore back Petur Vidarsson (1g, 1a), while the Dukes placed sophomore forward CJ Sapong (5g, 3a) and senior midfielder Nick Zimmerman (6g, 5a) on the squad.
Other first-team honorees include George Mason senior forward Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe (6g, 6a), William and Mary sophomore midfielder Nathaniel Baako (5g, 5a), Old Dominion senior midfielder Trevor Banks (4g, 3a), VCU senior defender Dirk Dittrich (0g, 1a), Hofstra junior defender Richard Martinez (1g, 1a) and Georgia State senior goalkeeper Filipe Carvalho (1.58 GAA, 79 saves, 4 shutouts).
2008 All-CAA Men's Soccer Team(Selected by CAA Men's Soccer Coaches)
First Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, George Mason Sr. FDevan Carroll, UNC Wilmington Jr. FCJ Sapong, James Madison* So. FNathaniel Baako, William & Mary So. MFTrevor Banks, Old Dominion* Sr. MFLars Okland, Northeastern* Jr. MFNick Zimmerman, James Madison# Sr. MFDirk Dittrich, VCU# Sr. DRichard Martinez, Hofstra# Jr. DIndy Smith, UNC Wilmington So. DPetur Vidarsson, Northeastern So. DFilipe Carvalho, Georgia State Sr. GK
Second Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Andrew Hoxie, William & Mary Jr. FLiam Maloney, Towson Fr. FSteffen Rabben, Old Dominion So. FAnthony Bafile, Drexel% Jr. MFRichard Edgar, George Mason% Jr. MFNane Joseph, Old Dominion Jr. MFRob Youhill, Hofstra# Jr. MFJonathan Borrajo, George Mason Sr. DJoe DeVito, Georgia State Sr. DBryan Ruff, Drexel* Sr. DAndrew Dykstra, VCU Sr. GK
Third Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Brett Carrington, Hofstra Fr. FMike Kennedy, Northeastern Fr. FPrice Thomas, William & Mary* Jr. FDarren Christie, Delaware Jr. MFJorit Loehr, VCU# Jr. MFDoug McBride, William & Mary Sr. MFAlexander Volk, Northeastern% Jr. MFRoger Bothe, William & Mary Jr. DGreg Ermold, Drexel Jr. DScott Horta, Towson% So. DSean Kelley, George Mason Jr. GK
2008 CAA Player of the Year: Devan Carroll, UNC Wilmington2008 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Indy Smith, UNC Wilmington2008 CAA Rookie of the Year: Steffen Rabben, Old Dominion
2008 CAA ALL ROOKIE TEAMBrett Carrington, Hofstra, Fr., F.Ryan Gracia, George Mason, Fr., MF.Brian Harrison, UNCW, So,. MFThomas Huepper, VCU, So. MF.Mike Kennedy, Northeastern, Fr. F.Axel Levry, GMU, Fr.FLiam Maloney, Towson,fr., F.Ryan O'Neil, JMU, Fr. D.Steffen Rabben, ODU, So., F.John Steele, Towson, Fr., GKTommy Webb, ODU, Fr. D.