The Empire 8 announced its 2011 Men’s Soccer All-Conference team with junior midfielder Zach Adler of regular season champion Stevens Institute of Technology being selected as the Empire 8 Player of the Year.
Adler, a repeat first-team selection, leads the Ducks with 22 points on six goals and 10 assists heading into the conference tournament. He led all players in Empire 8 play with 10 points on three goals and four assists. Adler has scored three game-winning goals this season.
Three other Stevens players were named to the all-conference first team, including repeat selection Victor Daza, a forward who leads the team with eight goals. Four of his scores were in conference play. Senior back Anthony Roden, a second-team selection, was named to the first team this year. He contributed four goals and an assist and led the Ducks’ defense, which yielded only four goals in Empire 8 play. Sophomore forward Stephen Dunbar was a first-team selection after tallying seven goals and three assists in the regular season.
Senior back Sean Dorman and sophomore midfielder James Wheeler of regular season runner-up Nazareth College were selected to the all-conference first team. It was the second consecutive first-team honor for Dorman, who anchors the Golden Flyers’ defense which allowed only 14 goals in the regular season. Wheeler, a second-team selection in his freshman year, has netted five goals and assisted on five others.
Senior back Edward Michelson and senior goalie Jared Micheller led Elmira to the top-ranked defense among Empire 8 teams in the regular season and were honored as first-team all-conference selections. Michelson tallied 19 points on seven goals and five assists, while Micheller enters the conference tournament with a 0.79 goals against average, an .888 save percentage, and a 12-1-1 record.
Senior midfielder Jon Wood and sophomore forwards Kevin McAllister and Jon Peterson of Utica College were all named to the all-conference first team. Wood totaled 21 points on seven goals and seven assists, McAllister matched his 21 points (eight goals, five assists), and Peterson contributed five goals and six assists.
Freshman midfielder Andre Germano of Elmira was selected as Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, entering the conference tournament with seven goals and 18 points. He was also named to the all-conference second team.
Devin Rensing was named the Doug May Memorial Coach of the Year for leading Stevens to an undefeated regular season in conference play in his first year as head coach. The coaching award is named after May, who at Nazareth from 1997 to 2003 before passing away in April 2004.
Empire 8 2011 Men’s Soccer All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Zach Adler, Stevens Institute of Technology
Rookie of the Year: Andre Germano, Elmira College
Doug May Memorial Coach of the Year: Devin Rensing, Stevens Institute of Technology
2011 Men's Soccer All-Conference Release