IRVING, TX – Five ODU soccer Monarchs were named to the 2014 Conference USA All-Conference squad as announced by the league today. Senior midfielder Nate Foglesong (Fredericksburg, VA.)was named second team, while sophomore goalkeeper Alex Tiesenhausen (Graz, Austria), junior midfielder Ryan Condotta (Keller, TX.) and sophomore forward Jesse Miralrio (Arlington, TX.) were third team selections. Freshman forward Tyler Edwards (Carrollton, GA.) was named to the All-Freshman team.
Foglesong, the team captain started 15 matches for the Monarchs, while Condotta led the team in scoring with nine points on four goals and an assist, followed by Miralrio with three goals, two assists for eight points, and Edwards with three goals and an assist for seven. Tiesenhausen led C-USA in saves with 73 and enters the tournament with four shutouts and a 1.14 goals against average.
Kentucky junior goalkeeper Callum Irving collected a league-high three Conference USA specialty awards and head coach Johan Cedergren was tabbed the Coach of the Year as the Wildcats headlined the accolades for the 2014 Conference USA men's soccer season.
Cedergren coached UK to a 10-4-4 regular-season record, including a 5-1-2 league mark in 2014, after the Cats went 7-10-3 (3-4-2 C-USA) last season. The turnaround is thanks in part to the play of Irving, who was voted the Conference USA Player of the Year, the Conference USA Defensive MVP and a First-Team All-C-USA selection. Irving is also recipient of the inaugural Golden Glove Award for posting the most shutouts (five) in C-USA play. For the season, Irving is tied for fifth in the NCAA with 10 solo shutouts, 10th in goals-against average (0.64) and 15th in save percentage (.831). He was tabbed the NSCAA National Player of the Week on Sept. 23 and was a three-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honoree this season.
Junior forwards Kyle Parker of Charlotte and Freddy Ruiz of UAB were selected Co-Offensive MVP. Parker, a two-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, helped lead one of the most potent offenses in the nation with a league-high 23 points (t-21st, NCAA) on eight goals and seven assists (t-24th, NCAA). The 49ers are tied for third nationally in scoring offense with 2.29 goals per game. Charlotte also leads the conference with 112 total points (7th, NCAA) and 34 assists (t-13th, NCAA).
Ruiz was the top goal scorer in C-USA this season, netting 10 goals (t-18th, NCAA) for the Blazers. He has provided timely scoring for UAB, accounting for the game-winner at (RV) Coastal Carolina as well as the decisive goal at league-rival South Carolina. The Blazers also boast one of the nation's top attacks, averaging 2.00 goals per game (17th, NCAA) and collecting 97 total points (t-23rd, NCAA). Teammate Darion Copeland also earns first-team accolades as a part of the Blazer defense that earned the No. 3 seed in the Conference USA Championship.
South Carolina freshman forward Mikkel Knudsen is the C-USA Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-Conference USA honoree as well as the Golden Boot Award winner after leading the league with six goals in eight conference games. His 13 points in league matches also tops the rankings. Overall, the rookie scored 17 points (6th, C-USA) on seven goals (t-5th, C-USA) and three helpers in 17 games.
Joining Parker on the All-Conference USA first team are junior defender Biko Bradnock-Brennan and sophomore midfielder Brandt Bronico. Bradnock-Brennan anchored a 49er defense that blanked eight opponents and recorded a goals-against average of 0.80 this season. Bronico, a two-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, was second on the team in scoring with 16 points (t-7th, C-USA) on five goals and six assists. He tied for a league-best three game-winning goals in Charlotte's 17 games.
Kentucky also garnered two additional first-team members in sophomore defender Jordan Wilson and sophomore midfielder Napo Matsoso. Wilson started all 17 games at center back, playing a vital role in shutting down opposing offenses. He was named the Oct. 13 C-USA Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Wildcats to a pair of shutout victories. Matsoso was second in scoring in conference games with 11 points and tied for second with five goals during that span. The midfielder was the Oct. 27 C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, collecting his first career hat trick in the win over South Carolina.
New Mexico placed a pair of midfielders on the all-conference first team in junior Ben McKendry and redshirt sophomore Chris Wehan. Wehan leads the Lobo offense with nine goals (2nd, C-USA), including three game-winners (t-1st, C-USA), and 20 points (t-3rd, C-USA). McKendry has played every game at midfield for New Mexico, contributing two goals and two assists. He scored the fasted goal in school history when he converted a penalty kick 16 seconds into the match against West Virginia.
Rounding out the All-Conference USA first team is FIU senior Quentin Albrecht. Albrecht scored eight goals (t-3rd, C-USA) and 18 points (5th, C-USA) in his final season with the Panthers. He scored a pair of goals, including the overtime game-winner on a bicycle kick, as FIU downed (RV) San Diego State, 2-1. Albrecht finished his Panther career with 29 goals and 11 assists for a total of 69 points.
Coaches also selected an All-Conference USA second and third team as well as an All-Freshman squad.
Old Dominion will host Charlotte, Kentucky, Marshall, New Mexico, South Carolina and UAB for the 2014 C-USA Men's Soccer Championship, Nov. 12-16 at the Old Dominion Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia. All three first-round games and both semifinal matches will be streamed on the C-USA Digital Network. The 2014 C-USA Championship match will be broadcast on Fox Sports Network on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. ET. The C-USA Tournament begins Wednesday with three games at the ODU Soccer Complex, beginning at 2 p.m. The fourth seeded Monarchs will play at 7 p.m. against fifth seeded and No. 25th ranked New Mexico who reached the NCAA semifinals a year ago.
2014 CONFERENCE USA MEN’S SOCCER AWARDS
Player of the Year :Callum Irving, Kentucky
Offensive MVP:Kyle Parker, Charlotte/Freddy Ruiz, UAB
Defensive MVP:Callum Irving, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year:Mikkel Knudsen, South Carolina
Golden Boot Award:Mikkel Knudsen, South Carolina (six goals)
Golden Glove Award:Callum Irving, Kentucky (five shutouts)
Coach of the Year:Johan Cedergren, Kentucky
All-Conference USA First Team
GK: Callum Irving, Kentucky
D: Biko Bradnock-Brennan, Charlotte
D: Jordan Wilson, Kentucky
D: Darion Copeland, UAB
MF: Brandt Bronico, Charlotte
MF: Napo Matsoso, Kentucky
MF: Ben McKendry, New Mexico
MF: Chris Wehan, New Mexico
F: Kyle Parker, Charlotte
F: Quentin Albrecht, FIU
F: Freddy Ruiz, UAB
All-Conference USA Second Team
GK: Austin Pack, Charlotte
D: Mathew Gibbons, New Mexico
D: Nick Miele, New Mexico
D: Mahamoudou Kaba, South Carolina
D: Braeden Troyer, South Carolina
MF: Nate Foglesong, Old Dominion
MF: Alex Clay, UAB
F: Justin Laird, Kentucky
F: Daniel Jodah, Marshall
F: James Rogers, New Mexico
F: Mikkel Knudsen, South Carolina
All-Conference USA Third Team
GK: Alex Tiesenhausen, Old Dominion
D: Marvin Hezel, FIU
D: Ian Svantesson, UAB
MF: Dominic Bonilla, Charlotte
MF: Daniel Gonzalez, FIU
MF: Kristoffer Tollefson, Kentucky
MF: Nick Edginton, Marshall
MF: Ryan Condotta, Old Dominion
MF: Kurtis Turner, South Carolina
F: Monbo Bokar, Charlotte
F: Ryan Price, Florida Atlantic
F: Niko Hansen, New Mexico
F: Jesse Miralrio, Old Dominion
All-Freshman Team
Matej Dekovic, Charlotte
Harrison Steadman, Charlotte
Donald Tomlinson, FIU
Petter Riedel, Florida Atlantic
Hampus Agerstrom, Kentucky
Stefan Stojkovic, Kentucky
Christian Kershaw, Marshall
Tyler Edwards, Old Dominion
Mikkel Knudsen, South Carolina
Mathieu Laurent, UAB
DeAndre Robinson, UAB
David Valverde, UAB
2014 CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals - Wednesday, Nov. 12
Match 1 - (2) Kentucky vs. (7) South Carolina - 2 p.m.
Match 2 - (3) UAB vs. (6) Marshall - 4:30 p.m.
Match 3 - (4) Old Dominion vs. (5) New Mexico - 7 p.m.
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 14
Match 4 - Match 1 Winner vs. Match 2 Winner - 4:30 p.m.
Match 5 - (1) Charlotte vs. Match 3 Winner - 7 p.m.
Final - Sunday, Nov. 16
Match 6 - Semifinal Winners - 2 p.m. (FOX Sports Network)
All times are Eastern
All matches are played at the ODU Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia