STANDISH, ME - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer postseason awards have been released and three Saint Joseph's College players have earned accolades.
Junior forward Zach Johnson (Westbrook, Maine) and senior midfielder Teddy Palmer (Scarborough, Maine) have both claimed Second Team honors while senior defender Joe Murphy (Poland, Maine) is listed on the Third Team.
Johnson, a First Team selection a year ago, paced the Monks in goals (6), points (13) and game-winners (5) for the second-consecutive season and earned a pair of GNAC Player of the Week accolades during his junior campaign. He heads into his senior season tied for the Monks' career game-winning goals (13) mark and currently ranks fifth in team history in goals (23). The junior forward is also tied for seventh all-time in points (41) through two seasons.
Palmer, also a 2011 First Team choice, netted four goals with one game-clincher during the 2012 campaign. A skilled midfielder, Palmer is a calming force in the heart of the pitch for the Monks and served as a team captain for the second-consecutive season this fall.
Murphy earns All-Conference honors for the first time after starting 17 games with one goal - a game-clincher versus GNAC tourney top-seed Lasell College on October 22nd - in his third year at Saint Joseph's. An athletic and powerful force on the backline, Murphy was a key player for an SJC side that ranked fifth in the GNAC in goals against average (1.38).
Under the watch of fourth-year Head Coach Steve Babineau, Saint Joseph's went 10-7-2 overall and 6-3-1 versus conference opponents en route to claiming the #3 seed in the GNAC Tournament. Sitting with a sub-.500 record in early October, the Monks proceeded to notch six straight victories heading into the postseason, but saw their hopes of a repeat-championship come to a close with a 3-0 loss to #6 Emerson College in a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal on October 27th.
2012 GNAC MEN'S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
GNAC RELEASE:
BOSTON, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference has announced the 2012 All-GNAC Men's Soccer Teams and major awards following the completion of this weekend's championship in which Albertus Magnus claimed the title following a penalty kick shootout over Norwich University.
Lasell College junior forward Mike Skelton (Conway, N.H.) has been named the GNAC Player of the Year following an impressive campaign for the Lasers. Skelton led the GNAC in goals while ranking tied for 24th in the nation with 14 scores and ranked second overall in the league in points with 31. The Conway, N.H. native helped Lasell earn the No. 1 seed in the GNAC playoffs, leading the squad to a 9-1 GNAC slate during the regular season. On the year, when Skelton scored a goal for Lasell the Lasers went an incredible 10-0 in those matches. Five of his tallies were a game-winning goal which was tied for the second-most among players in the GNAC.
Albertus Magnus College senior defender Nick Hamasian (Hamden, Conn.) has been named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Falcons to the 2012 GNAC Championship. This marks the second time in his career he's earned the honor as he was also tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year back in 2010. Hamasian played in and started 20 games in the backfield for AMC, helping the Falcons post a league-low 0.69 goals against average that included 11 shutouts. The back was also a part of the Falcons offensive success collecting 13 points on six goals and one assist but was more known for his lockdown defensive pressure and ability to shut down opponents key scoring threats.
The Falcons would collect another major award as freshman forward Alex Zapata (Hamden, Conn.) has been the GNAC Rookie of the Year. Zapata currently has 20 points on the year on nine goals and two assists. The forward ranks tied for fifth in the league in points while his nine scores are good for a third place tie. During the regular season, Zapata was named the conference's Rookie of the Week on three separate occasions. The Hamden, Conn. native helped the Falcons go 8-1 in games in which he scored a goal in this season including the game-winner in a 2-0 win in the GNAC Quarterfinals against Suffolk University on Oct. 27.
Norwich University head coach Kyle Dezotell has been named the GNAC Coach of the Year after leading the Cadets back to the GNAC Championships as the No. 4 seed. Behind Dezotell's leadership, Norwich posted an 11-5-3 overall mark and a 6-3-1 record in GNAC play. The Cadets upset the No. 1 seeded Lasell College Lasers in the GNAC Semifinals, 2-1, to earn the trip back to the finals before falling to Albertus in penalty kicks, 6-5. Earlier on the year, Dezotell set the Norwich program record for coaching victories when he captured his 89th career win on Oct. 3 against Emmanuel. The honor marks Dezotell's third GNAC Coach of the Year recognition as he also received the honor in 2007 and 2008.
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
