Nov. 9, 2011
HARRISONBURG, Va. (November 9, 2011) - Five members of the ODU Soccer squad were named to the 2011 All-CAA team in voting by the league's head coaches. Yannick Smith and Gideon Asante were named to the first team while Tim Hopkinson, Tommy Webb and Victor Francoz were second team All-CAA selections.
ODU opens play in the CAA Championships Friday at 5 p.m. against Georgia State.The Panthers defeated William and Mary Thursday night, 2-1. ODU defeated GSU inNorfolk, 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Tim Hopkinson.
Junior forward Yannick Smith currently ranks sixth nationally in total goals made with 16 and third in goals per game at 1.07. Sophomore midfielder Gideon Asante is 10th nationally with nine assists, while sophomore forward Tim Hopkinson is 27th in total points with 23.
In the CAA, Smith leads the league in total points with 34, goals with 16 and goals per game at 1.07. Asante is second in the league with nine assists. Sophomore Tim Hopkins ranks second in the CAA with four game winning goals, while junior goal keeer Victor Francoz is second in the CAA with 72 saves for a 4.50 per game average. He is also fourth in the league with five shutouts. Senior defenderTommy Webb scored two goals and assisted on three others as well as anchored the Monarchs defense.
As a team, ODU (11-4-1) is second nationally at 2.62 goals per game and 3rd nationally in total goals with 42. In the CAA, ODU leads the league with 42 total points for a 2.62 goals per game average.
Delaware senior forward Evans Frimpong was selected as the 2011 Colonial Athletic Association men's soccer Player of the Year. The awards were presented Wednesday night on the eve of the quarterfinals of the CAA Men's Soccer Championship in Harrisonburg, Va.
Also receiving top men's soccer honors from the conference were Hofstra sophomore back Shaun Foster, who was chosen as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, Delaware sophomore forward Roberto Gimenez, who was named the CAA Rookie of the Year, and James Madison's Tom Martin, who was voted as CAA Coach of the Year.
Frimpong was tied for second in the CAA with 27 points and 11 goals this season. He also contributed five assists. The senior forward had five games with multiple goals, and three of them came against conference foes Northeastern, James Madison and William & Mary. His 27 points are the most by a Blue Hen since John Petito compiled 35 points in 1982 and he was the school's first double-digit goal scorer since 2004. Frimpong is the first Delaware player to ever receive CAA Player of the Year honors.
Foster is the third player in CAA history to receive Defensive Player of the Year honors two times and just the second to win it in back-to-back years. The sophomore defender anchored a Hofstra back line that recorded four shutouts this season. Foster also contributed offensively, leading the Pride with five goals and ranking second on the team with 11 points.
Gimenez had a sensational first season at Delaware, tying for the second in the CAA with 27 points. The sophomore forward was fifth in the conference with 10 goals and tied for third in assists with seven. He contributed either a goal or an assist in 10 of the Blue Hens' 13 matches and had two game-winning scores. Gimenez is UD's second CAA Rookie of the Year honoree.
Martin was honored as the CAA Coach of the Year for the fifth time after guiding James Madison to its first CAA regular-season title since 2000 with an 8-3 league mark. The Dukes won 10 of their 11 matches from Sept. 17 to Oct. 26 and posted shutouts in seven of them. JMU is 12-4-1 overall, matching its most victories since 2005, and the Dukes were a perfect 9-0 at home. The Dukes are ranked among the top 25 in several national polls.
They were joined on the first team by William & Mary senior midfielder Nicolas Abrigo (8g, 2a), Northeastern sophomore midfielder Dante Marini (7g, 5a) and James Madison junior midfielder Paul Wyatt (6g, 3a). Making the first team on defense were Hofstra's Foster, Georgia State sophomore Chris Locandro and VCU freshman Juan Monge Solano (5g, 1a). UNCW senior Brandon Miller (1.61 GAA, 68 svs., 3 ShO) was chosen as the goalkeeper on the first team.
2011 All-CAA Men's Soccer Team(Selected by CAA Men's Soccer Coaches)
First Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Evans Frimpong, Delaware# Sr. FRoberto Gimenez, Delaware So. FYannick Smith, Old Dominion Jr. FNicolas Abrigo, William & Mary Sr. MFGideon Asante, Old Dominion# So. MFDante Marini, Northeastern So. MFPaul Wyatt, James Madison# Jr. MFShaun Foster, Hofstra* So. DChris Locandro, Georgia State So. DJuan Monge Solano, VCU Fr. DBrandon Miller, UNCW Sr. GK
Second Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Tim Hopkinson, Old Dominion So. FPatrick Innes, James Madison Sr. FJason Johnson, VCU% So. FStephen McGill, Georgia State So. MFDaniel Roberts, UNCW Sr. MFLeo Stolz, George Mason Fr. MFKen Tribbett, Drexel So. MFWill Smith, William & Mary So. DTommy Webb, Old Dominion Sr. DEric Zuehsow, George Mason# Sr. DVictor Francoz, Old Dominion Jr. GK
Third Team
Player, School Cl. Pos.Olakunle Banjo, Towson# So. FMike Kennedy, Northeastern# Sr. FTaylor Morgan, George Mason Jr. FRyan Gracia, George Mason Sr. MFChris Griebsch, Hofstra So. MFJamal Keene, Georgia State So. MFChristian McLaughlin, James Madison Jr. MFRyan Burnham, Northeastern Sr. DJason Gannon, James Madison Sr. DDarren O'Connor, Delaware% Sr. DPentti Pussinen, Drexel So. GK
2011 CAA Player of the Year: Evans Frimpong, Delaware2011 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Shaun Foster, Hofstra2011 CAA Rookie of the Year: Roberto Gimenez, Delaware2011 CAA Coach of the Year: Tom Martin, James Madison
* - All-CAA First Team in 2010 # - All-CAA Second Team in 2010 % - All-CAA Third Team in 2010