STANDISH, ME - The Saint Joseph's College Men's Soccer team held its annual awards banquet at Keeley the Katerer Banquet Center in Portland on Saturday February 27th. Golden Boot, Silver Boot, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors were given to deserving individuals, as selected by Head Coach Steve Babineau and his staff.
Doug MacCallum '10 (Hingham, MA) paced the Monks with 12 goals and, consequently, earned the second Golden Boot honor of his SJC career. He also led the St. Joe's side with 27 points and 7 game-clinchers and collected All-GNAC Second Team honors for the second straight season as a senior. MacCallum leaves the program as the Monks' all-time leader in goals (38), points (87), game-winning goals (13) and shots (183).
Andre Cushing '10 (Hampden, ME) and Paul Robins '11 (Cornwall, England) share the team's Silver Boot honor after finishing the 2009 campaign tied for the team lead in assists with four helpers apiece. Cushing tallied 8 total points and earned All-GNAC First Team honors, while Robins contributed with 12 points and was named Second Team All-Conference.
The Most Improved Player award recipient is Gerald Cushing '13 (Hampden, ME). A midfielder from Hampden Academy, Cushing logged valuable minutes as a first-year player for Coach Babineau and is expected to challenge for a starting spot next season.
Freshman striker Jack LaFreniere (Alton, NH) is the 2009 Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year after scoring 7 goals with 17 total points and 4 game-winners last fall. He scored 6 of his goals in the team's final 5 games, including 4 during the GNAC Tournament and earned All-Tournament honors for his performance.
The 2009 Men's Soccer Player of the Year is senior goalkeeper Will Pike (Gorham, ME). A two-time All-GNAC First Team selection, Pike capped his two years as a Monk in fine fashion with the 2009 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honor after leading the league in virtually all keeper categories. He leaves the program with four career records (GAA, SV%, wins, shutouts) and five single-season marks (games, minutes, GAA, wins, shutouts).
In 2009, St. Joe's recorded the most successful season in the men's soccer program's 20-year history. The Monks earned the #1 seed in the GNAC playoffs with a 7-2 in-league record (14-8-1 overall) and closed out the year with the team's first GNAC Championship crown and inaugural NCAA DIII Tournament berth.
