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News Release

WATSON NAMED AMERICA EAST MIDFIELDER, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN MEN'S SOCCER

11/8/2004

UMBC freshman midfielder Matt Watson (Redditch, England/Bridley Moor) was named America East Midfielder of the Year and the conference’s Rookie of the Year, it was announced today in voting conducted by the league’s head coaches.

Watson earned First Team All America East honors, as did junior defender Marcus Gross (Barnstaple, England/Park School).

Other Retrievers honored were senior forward Derek McElligott (Baltimore, Md/./Greater Grace Acad.), who earned Second Team All Conference honors and freshman defender Bryan Moffa (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech), who joined Watson on the all-rookie team.

Watson, the lone freshman to earn First Team honors, leads the America East and ranks fifth in the nation in assists with 9 in 17 games (0.60). He is sixth in the conference in scoring with 4 goals and 9 helpers for 17 points. The nine assists is the most ever by a UMBC freshman. He is UMBC’s first conference Rookie of the Year since McElligott earned the honors in the Northeast Conference in 2001.

Gross, a two-time First Team honoree, continued his dominating play on the Retriever backline. He also added a pair of goals and an assist in 2004.

McElligott lead UMBC for the fourth straight year in goals scored, tallying eight in his final campaign. He set UMBC Division I marks for career goals (47), points (106), and game-winning goals (18).

Moffa became a starter midway through the season and excelled as a marking back. He also added three assists in his eleven starts.

UMBC completed its season with an 8-6-3 record, its seventh straight winning season.