Conference

Somerset, NJ -- Fairleigh Dickinson senior midfielder Johnny David (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) was tabbed the Northeast Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year in a vote by league head coaches. Central Connecticut State freshman forward Alex Harrison (Eastbourne, England/Willingdon) took home NEC Rookie of the Year honors, while Blue Devils head coach Shaun Green earned NEC Coach of the Year accolades. Green was selected Coach of the Year after leading CCSU to an unbeaten mark in NEC regular season play (6-0-3), as well as the #2 seed in this weekend’s NEC Tournament. Green’s squad, which is currently rated #3 in the New England region according to the latest NSCAA rankings, will be making their first appearance in the NEC Tournament since the 1998 season.

David becomes the first Knight to earn NEC Player of the Year recognition since David Gouldstone claimed the award in 1995. A three-time NEC all-star selection, David has proven to be a difference maker from his midfield spot throughout his career. After sitting out last season due to injury, David’s return this year helped ignite the FDU offensive attack. He ranks second on the Knights in scoring with 12 points (3 g/6 a), while each of his three goals went down as a game-winner. David also helped key FDU to the championship at the prestigious Yale Soccer Classic, as he earned Tournament MVP honors for his efforts.

Harrison emerged as one of the NEC’s premier scoring threats this season, as he led the league in game-winning goals (6) and ranks second in both goals (10) and scoring (23 points/10 g/3 a). A four-time NEC Rookie of the Week recipient, Harrison earned a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week on November 9th after he netted the game-winning score in CCSU’s 1-0 triumph over nationally ranked FDU. Harrison’s scoring exploits also helped him garner first team all-conference honors this season.

Sophomore midfielder Nadav Gottesman (Haifa, Israel/M. Fleiman) and senior goalie Andrew Nucifora (Monroe, CT/Masuk) join David as first team selections from regular season champion Fairleigh Dickinson. Gottesman, a second team pick last year, ranks third on the Knights in scoring this season with 11 points (5 g/1 a). Nucifora cemented his reputation as one of the NEC’s premier netminders this year as he stands third in the NEC in goals against average (0.79) and fourth in save percentage (.823). He also earned NEC Player of the Week accolades earlier this year after he made nine saves and recorded a shutout versus then nationally ranked Boston College in a 1-0 victory.

Long Island placed three players on the all-NEC first team, to tie FDU for the most of any squad. Despite battling injuries throughout the year, senior forward Oskar Tilly (Karlstad, Sweden/Southampton College) earns all-conference honors for the third time in his career. Tilly leads the Blackbirds in scoring this season with 23 points (8 g/7 a), while his 1.92 points per game ranks first among all NEC players. Senior midfielder David Schofield (Preston, England/Rio Grande College), also a three-time all-NEC honoree, is currently tied for eighth in the league in scoring with 15 points (5 g/5 a). Rounding out the LIU first team contingent is sophomore back Jonas Stigh (Trollhattan, Sweden/Magnus Albergsgymnasiet). Stigh, who missed all of last season due to injury, made a remarkable comeback for the Blackbirds this fall as he ranks among the team leaders with eight points (3 g/2 a) on the year. He also helped spearhead an LIU defense that gave up less than one goal per game.

Senior forward Said Ali (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Bonaventure) and senior midfielder Jamie Dodds (Hamilton, Ontario/Sir Allen McNabb) represent Robert Morris on the all-NEC first team. Ali leads the NEC in numerous offensive categories including shots (56), goals (13) and scoring (29 pts./13 g/3 a). A two-time first team selection, Ali also ranks among the national leaders in both scoring (25th-tie/1.61 ppg) and goals (14th-tie/0.72 per game). Dodds, the 2002 NEC Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year, teamed with Ali this season to give Robert Morris a potent one-two scoring punch. Dodds ranks second in the league in assists (7), as well as fourth in scoring (21 pts./7 g/7 a).

Central Connecticut State senior back Garreth Wilkinson (Bangor, N. Ireland/Belfast) makes the move up to first team status after being named a second team all-star last season. Wilkinson’s defensive prowess helped the Blue Devils lead the NEC in both fewest goals allowed (12) and goals against average (0.72). Offensively, his lone goal on the season went down as the game-winner in the Blue Devils’ 1-0 victory over Big East rival Providence on August 31.

Mount St. Mary’s freshman back Luke Strutt (Sheffield, England/All Saints) completes the list of first team honorees. One of only two freshman to earn first team accolades (along with CCSU’s Alex Harrison), Strutt quickly established himself as a mainstay in the Mount backfield. He also contributed on offense end, as he finished the year ranked second on the team in scoring (10 pts./4 g/2 a).

Fairleigh Dickinson placed a trio of juniors on the all-conference second team in forward Antonio Nunziata (Caracus, Venezuala/Cristo Rey), midfielder Mathieu Savaria (Montreal, Quebec/Andre-Laurendeau) and defender Brian Scott (Clarendon, Jamaica/Glenmuir). Nunziata, a two-time NEC Rookie of the Week selection, paces the Knights in both goals (7) and scoring (16 pts./7 g/2 a). Savaria, a first team pick on defense last season, made a successful transition to the midfield this year. Scott played a key role on defense for FDU as he helped the team tie for second in the NEC in fewest goals allowed. CCSU also had three players earn second team kudos in senior midfielder John Pilkington (Durham, England/Parkside), junior back Nathan Meade (Oxford, England/St. Augustine’s) and junior goalie Andrew Sierman (Warren, RI/Barrington). Pilkington ranks third on the Blue Devils in scoring with 12 points (3 g/6 a), while Meade has now earned all-NEC recognition twice in his career. Sierman enters this weekend’s NEC Tournament ranked first in the league in both goals against average (0.56) and save percentage (.887). Junior back Josh Couvillion (New Orleans, LA/Jesuit) earns second team honors after helping LIU rank among the national leaders in shutouts with nine. Junior forward Kurt Borel (Trinidad, West Indies/Vessisny Secondary) led Mount St. Mary’s in scoring this season with 13 points (5 g/3 a), as the Mountaineers posted their first winning record since the 2000 campaign. Robert Morris junior midfielder Joe Di Buono (Vaudreuil, Quebec/FDU) has tallied 11 points (5 g/1 a) on the year for the playoff-bound Colonials. St. Francis (NY) junior MF Alessandro Acquista (Whitestone, NY/Holy Cross) is the lone Terrier to earn all-conference recognition. Acquista scored two goals this year, while also providing a strong defensive presence from his midfield spot. Junior forward Bernie Showers (Fredericksburg, VA/Northern Lebanon) of St. Francis (PA) rounds out the all-NEC second team. Showers led the Red Flash in both goals (7) and scoring (16 pts./7 g/2 a). Showers also owns the #1 ranking nationally this season in single game goals scored (5) and single game points (10), following his offensive explosion versus Monmouth on October 17th.

The 2003 NEC Men’s Soccer Tournament will take place this weekend for the first time ever on the campus of St. Francis University in Loretto, PA. Semifinal action on Friday, November 14 will pit three-time defending NEC Champion and top seed Fairleigh Dickinson versus #4 Robert Morris at 11:00 am, with #2 Central Connecticut State taking on #3 Long Island at 1:30 pm. The championship game will take place on Sunday, November 16 at 1:00 pm.