Nov. 15, 2007
HARTFORD, Conn. – A total of seven Notre Dame student-athletes garnered all-conference recognition at the annual BIG EAST men’s soccer awards banquet on Thursday evening. That mark was one off the program record of eight, established in 2003, for all-league honorees. The 11th-ranked Fighting Irish were also recognized with capturing a share of the regular-season Blue Division title along with Connecticut. DePaul were the winners out of the Red Division.
Earning unanimous first-team accolades for Notre Dame were seniors Joseph Lapira (Lake Charles, La./Saint Louis Catholic) and Ryan Miller (Barrington, Ill./Barrington). This signified the second straight season in which Lapira garnered first-team honors and this was his third all-BIG EAST selection. He was tabbed as the 2006 BIG EAST offensive player of the year. The forward leads the team in points (20) assists (8) and is tied with Miller for the team lead in goals with six this season. Miller, a midfielder/defender, has posted career-best numbers in goals and points (15) this season. This was the first all-conference accolade for Miller, who has started in 84 consecutive matches for the Irish.
Senior goalkeeper Chris Cahill (Louisville, Ky./DeSales) and junior defender Matt Besler (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley West) both notched their second all-BIG EAST honor as they were selected to the second-team. Cahill, a third-team member in 2006, has started 17 games this season and boasts a 10-2-5 record with a 0.72 goals-against average and a .822 save percentage. He also has registered eight shutouts. Helping him earn those shutouts was Besler, who has started every game this season in the central defense. The junior repeated as a second-team honoree by matching career-high numbers in points (6), goals (2) and assists (2) in addition to helping the Irish produce a 0.79 team goals-against average with 10 shutouts.
Two Notre Dame players were also named to the third team. Senior forward Kurt Martin (McAllen, Texas/Memorial) and junior defender Jack Traynor (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North) both overcame injuries during portions of the season to still become all-conference members. Martin picked up his first-ever all-BIG EAST accolade by registering five points on two goals and one assist. He missed two games to injury, yet has started in 16 of the 17 matches in which he has played. Traynor was out of the Irish lineup in four of the last five games, yet still compiled career-best numbers in points (6), goals (1) and assists (4). Traynor, an honorable mention all-league selection last year, is a major force for the Notre Dame defense from the left back position.
Freshman midfielder Matt Armstrong (Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon) rounded out the Fighting Irish honorees on the night as he was tabbed as a honorable-mention selection. Armstrong has anchored the Irish midfield this season by starting in all 19 games and tallying one assist. The rookie has had the responsibility of filling the shoes of the 2006 BIG EAST midfielder of the year Greg Dalby, a 2007 graduate.
The major award winners of the night were Connecticut’s O’Brian White (offensive player of the year) and Julius James (defensive player of the year) along with DePaul’s Brian Visser (goalkeeper of the year), West Virginia’s Andy Wright (midfielder of the year) and Seton Hall’s Brayan Martinez (rookie of the year). DePaul captured the coaching staff of the year behind head coach Craig Blazer and assistants Adam Tinkham and Evan Whitfield.
No. 11 Notre Dame will face No. 19 DePaul in the semifinal round of the BIG EAST Championship on Friday, Nov. 16 in Storrs, Conn. Game time is slated for 5:00 p.m. (ET).
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