Empire 8 Announces Men's Soccer All-Conference Team
November 6, 2007
ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced its 2008 Men’s Soccer All-Conference team with junior forward Terrence Johnson of Stevens Institute of Technology being selected as Player of the Year.
Johnson, who earned first-team honors for the second time in as many years, leads all Empire 8 players with 13 goals, five game-winning scores, and 30 points. In conference games, Johnson leads all scorers with seven goals and 15 points, while sharing the lead with three game-winners.
Joining Johnson as a repeat first-team selection from the Ducks was senior forward Jeremy Lippel, who was named an all-conference midfielder last season. Lippel has scored seven times and added two assists for 16 points in only 12 games.
Junior midfielder Todd Sheridan and junior back Chris Faustino gave the Ducks four players on the first team. Sheridan leads all conference midfielders with eight goals and 20 points, including four goals in Empire 8 play. Faustino keys the defense which has allowed nine goals all season, three in conference play.
Senior goalie Andy Wilhelm, junior back Mike Jordhamo, and sophomore midfielder Jeff Geyer of Ithaca College, which finished the regular season unbeaten in conference play, earned first-team recognition for the first time. Wilhelm has posted a 0.59 goals against average and six shutouts. Geyer has scored five times and totaled 13 points, while Jordhamo anchors a defense which has yielded 10 goals in 16 games and just three scores in conference play.
2007 Empire 8 Player of the Year Luke Lennox of St. John Fisher College was named to the all-conference first team for the second year in a row. He has scored 16 points in 15 games and scored four goals in Empire 8 action.
2006 Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year Mohammed Ahamed of Nazareth College returned to the first team after missing all last season with an injury. Sophomore midfielder Rikesh Kotak of the Golden Flyers, who is second in conference play with five goals and 12 points and third overall with 17 points, garnered first-team accolades.
Freshman Andy Alaimo of Nazareth earned first-team accolades in addition to being named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. He tallied seven times this season with three goals in conference play.
Andy Byrne of Ithaca was named the Doug May Memorial Coach for leading the Bombers to the top seed in the conference tournament. The coaching award is named after May, who coached RIT from 1980 to 1996 and Nazareth from 1997 to 2003 before passing away in April 2004.
Empire 8 2008 Men’s Soccer All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Terrence Johnson, Stevens Institute of Technology
Rookie of the Year: Andy Alaimo, Nazareth College
Doug May Memorial Coach of the Year: Andy Byrne, Ithaca College