IRVING, Texas – ODU’s senior forward Tim Hopkinson (Nottingham, England) has been named Conference USA’s Offensive Player of the Year and fellow seniors Jason Gaylord (Kendall, NY.) and Sean Stowe (Midlothian, VA.) were named All-Conference. Monarch newcomers Jesse Miralrio (Arlington, TX.) and Cole Stringer (Keller, TX.) were selected to the All-Rookie squad as selected by the league’s coaches.
TIM HOPKINSON was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player. Hopkinson leads the league in points per game with 10 goals, including five game-winning goals, and four assists for an average of 1.6 in 15 matches. He ranks among the Top 10 nationally for points and goals per game, and within the Top 25 for overall points and goals on the season. Hopkinson was a two-time C-USA Player of the Week and the NSCAA National Player of the Week after scoring overtime goals against Charlotte and then-No. 10 UAB. He is currently fifth all-time at ODU with 31 career goals and third all-time at ODU in career points with 81.
Fellow senior co-captain Jason Gaylord anchored the Monarchs solid defense and also added goals against VMI and Florida Atlantic. Sean Stowe, a two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week selection had career high seven saves against nationally ranked Tulsa, FIU and New Mexico. He also had six saves against nationally ranked Maryland as well as Charlotte and South Carolina. He has a 1.25 goals against average and .753 saves percentage.
Freshmen Jesse Miralrio and Cole Stringer were named to the 13-man All-Rookie squad. Miralrio is third on the squad in points with nine on three goals and three assists, while Stringer scored a goal and assisted on two others. Both have played in all 15 monarch matches.
Regular-season champion and top seed New Mexico took four Conference USA specialty awards for the 2013 men's soccer season. Lobos' JEREMY FISHBEIN was named the C-USA Coach of the Year in his inaugural season in the league. His team was also represented by KYLE VENTER, who earned MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, and CHRISTOPHER WEHAN was selected the C-USA Freshman of the Year. The 2013 All-Conference USA first, second and third teams were also announced.
The league's first Golden Boot Award was shared by Charlotte sophomore forward KYLE PARKER and UAB junior midfielder ALEX CLAY, who tied for the lead in conference play with seven goals apiece. Parker was a two-time Offensive Player of the Week with three multi-goal games this season. Clay won Player of the Week honors following matches with Belmont and Kentucky. He also scored two goals against regular-season champion New Mexico.
Venter anchored the Lobo defense that registered eight shutouts on the season. A two-time All-America selection, Venter is approaching the program's all-time record for minutes played in a career. The team captain was named to several preseason All-America teams and earned a spot on the prestigious Hermann Trophy watch list. He is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
Wehan played in all 17 matches for the Lobos, starting 16 in the midfield during his first season. He has three goals, scoring in back-to-back conference matches against FIU and Florida Atlantic, and an assist on the season.
Fishbein is New Mexico's all-time winningest coach and has compiled a 165-52-28 record at the school. He has coached 10 All-Americans and three Freshman All-Americans during his tenure. This is his fifth Coach of the Year honor, taking the award from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2011. He was the 2004 Soccer America National Coach of the Year. This year's regular-season conference title is his ninth at New Mexico. In 2005, Fishbein guided the Lobos to the 2005 National Championship final.
The 19th Annual C-USA Men's Soccer Championship is scheduled to begin Wed., Nov. 13, at Charlotte's Transamerica Field. ODU, the second seed will play Kentucky at 5:30 Wednesday. The 2013 title game will be held Sunday, Nov. 17, at 1:30 p.m. EST and will be televised live by CBS Sports Network.
A complete list of the three all-conference team selections, the all-freshman team and the specialty award winners for 2013 are as follows:
2013 C-USA MEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
Most Valuable Player
Kyle Venter, New Mexico
Defensive Player of the Year
Kyle Venter, New Mexico
Offensive Player of the Year
Tim Hopkinson, Old Dominion
Golden Boot Award
Kyle Parker, Charlotte
Alex Clay, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Christopher Wehan, New Mexico
Coach of the Year
Jeremy Fishbein, New Mexico
All-Conference USA First Team
F: Guiseppe Gentile, Charlotte
F: Tim Hokinson, Old Dominion
F: Cristian Mata, Tulsa
F: Freddy Ruiz, UAB
MF: Aidan Kirkbride, Charlotte
MF: Ben McKendry, New Mexico
MF: Michael Calderon, New Mexico
MF: Omar Mata, Tulsa
D: Kyle Venter, New Mexico
D: Jason Gaylord, Old Dominion
D: Mahamoudou Kaba, South Carolina
GK: Callum Irving, Kentucky
All-Conference USA Second Team
F: Quentin Albrecht, FIU
F: Diego Navarette, UAB
MF: Gonzalo Frechilla, FIU
MF: Brad Doliner, Kentucky
MF: Akeil Barrett, Tulsa
MF: Alex Clay, UAB
D: Thomas Allen, Charlotte
D: Steven Perinovic, Kentucky
D: Mathew Gibbons, New Mexico
D: Braeden Troyer, South Carolina
GK: Sean Stowe, Old Dominion
All-Conference USA Third Team
F: Kyle Parker, Charlotte
F: Ryan Price, Florida Atlantic
F: James Rogers, New Mexico
MF: Zach Hunter, Marshall
MF: Michael Kafari, New Mexico
MF: Tony Rocha, Tulsa
D: Travis Brent, Marshall
D: Bradley Bourgeois, Tulsa
D: Darion Copeland, UAB
GK: Michael Lisch, New Mexico
GK: Raphael Ville, UAB
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Brandt Bronico, MF, Charlotte
Luke Waechter, D, Charlotte
Marvin Hezel, MF, FIU
Napo Matsoso, MF, Kentucky
Christopher Wehan, MF, New Mexico
Niko Hansen, F, New Mexico
Jesse Miralrio, F, Old Dominion
Cole Stringer, MF, Old Dominion
Kurtis Turner, MF, South Carolina
Marco Velez, GK, South Carolina
Quinton Duncan, D, Tulsa
Jake McGuire, GK, Tulsa
Rami Dajani, F, UAB