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News Release
CARINGI NAMED NEC MEN'S SOCCER COACH OF THE YEAR; FOUR RETRIEVERS EARN ALL CONFERENCE HONORS
11/14/2002
Somerset, NJ -- Robert Morris senior midfielder Rhian Dodds (Hamilton, Ont./Sir Allen McNabb) was selected the Northeast Conference Men’s SoccerPlayer of the Year in a vote by league head coaches. One of the league’s top playmakers, Dodds has been a key figure in the resurgence of the Colonials’ programin recent years. Central Connecticut State freshman forward Jorden Holder (Oxon, England) claimed Rookie of the Year accolades, while UMBC’s PeteCaringi was named NEC Coach of the Year. Caringi, a two-time NEC Coach of the Year recipient, led UMBC to an 8-1-1 mark in conference play this year, aswell as a share of the NEC regular season title. The 2002 NEC Men’s Soccer Championships will be hosted by UMBC this weekend in Baltimore, Maryland. On Friday, November 15, #1 seed Long Islandwill take on #4 Robert Morris at 11:00 a.m. in a semifinal matchup. The second semifinal is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., and features #2 UMBC versus #3 FairleighDickinson. The championship game will be held on Sunday, November 17, at 12:00 p.m., with the winner receiving the NEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA men’ssoccer tournament. Dodds, a two-time all-NEC first teamer, leads the league in assists (11/0.68 per game) through the end of the regular season. Dodds also ranks seventh nationallyin helpers in the latest NCAA statistics. The Hamilton, Ontario native has been one of the league’s most dominant midfielders the past two seasons, as he hashelped the Colonials earn consecutive NEC Tournament berths for the first time since the 1995 and 1996 seasons. A player who must be accounted for at all timesby opposing teams, Dodds has registered 13 points (1 g/11 a) on the year. Holder burst onto the NEC scene this fall and quickly established himself as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons. Holder led CCSU this year ingoals (7), assists (7) and scoring (21 pts/1.40 per game). Holder’s offensive totals also rank him first among all Northeast Conference rookies. A three-time NECRookie of the Week recipient, Holder netted three game-winning goals for the Blue Devils this season. UMBC placed a league-high three players on the all-NEC first team, including sophomore forward Derek McElligott (Baltimore, MD/Greater Christian GraceAcademy), junior back Justin Nall (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) and senior goalkeeper Brian Rowland (Toronto, Ont./York Memorial). McElligott, the 2001 NECRookie of the Year, rebounded from a broken leg over the summer to once again post some big offensive numbers for the Retrievers. McElligott paced the NEC inscoring (12 g/4 a/28 pts.) and also ranked among the league leaders in goals per game (0.63) and points per game (1.47). Nall helped spearhead a squad thatallowed just four goals in conference play this year, as UMBC rode its defense to a share of the NEC regular season title. Rowland rounds out the UMBC firstteam contingent following an outstanding season between the pipes for the Retrievers. Rowland leads all NEC netminders in goals against average (0.86) andshutouts (10), while his ten shutouts this season established a new UMBC single season record. Junior forward Oskar Tilly (Karlstad, Sweden/Southampton College) and junior midfielder David Schofield (Preston, England/Rio Grande (OH) College) representNEC regular season co-champion Long Island on the all-conference first team. Tilly, a dynamic scorer, ranks third in the NEC with 23 points (9 g/5 a). Tilly alsoenters this weekend’s NEC Tournament on a roll, as he has earned back-to-back NEC Player of the Week accolades entering this weekend’s event. Schofieldhas been one of LIU’s steadiest performers, as he ranks third on the squad in both goals (4) and scoring (4 g/2 a/10 pts.) Two-time defending NEC champion Fairleigh Dickinson had a pair of defenders selected to the all-NEC first team in senior Taffarie Laing (Kingston,Jamaica/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) and sophomore Mathieu Savaria (Montreal, Que./Andre-Laurendeau). Laing and Savaria emerged as two of the Knights keyplayers this season, as FDU consistently relied on its airtight defense while posting a school record seven ties on the year. Robert Morris junior forward Said Ali (Hamilton, Ont./St. Bonaventure Univ.) garners all-NEC accolades following an outstanding debut season for the Colonials. Ali leads the NEC in points per game (1.56) and ranks second in the league in both scoring (11 g/3 a/25 pts.) and goals per game (0.69). Ali’s finest hour camewhen he exploded for nine points (4 g/1 a) in a 6-1 victory over Mount St. Mary’s on October 13. His four goals and nine points versus the Mount both ranksecond nationally in single-game highs for goals and points, respectively. Mount St. Mary’s senior midfielder Brandon Scarfield (Baltimore, MD/Archbishop Curley) earns all-NEC honors coming off a season where he established himselfas the Mountaineers go-to player. Scarfield paced the Mount in both goals (8) and scoring (8 g/2 a/18 pts.), and ranked among the NEC leaders in both categoriesthroughout the year. One of only three repeat all-NEC first team honorees from last season (along with Rhian Dodds & Derek McElligott), St. Francis (NY) senior midfielder JosephAfful (Brooklyn, NY/St. Augustine’s (Ghana)) concluded his career as one of the top Terrier players in recent memory. Afful’s defensive efforts helped key aSFNY squad that allowed less than one goal per game in conference play this season. The 2002 all-NEC second team is led by three Central Connecticut State performers, including NEC Rookie of the Year Jorden Holder. Sophomore back NathanMeade (Arsenal, England/St. Augustine’s) and junior back Garreth Wilkinson (Bangor, N. Ireland/Belfast) helped propel CCSU to eight victories this season, theprogram’s highest win total since 1998. Fairleigh Dickinson also had three second team honorees, including senior forward Aaron Paye (Brooklyn Center,MN/Champlin), freshman midfielder Nadav Gottesman (Haifa, Israel/M. Fleiman) and junior goalie Andrew Nucifora (Monroe, CT/Mitchell JC). Paye, anall-NEC first teamer last season, has recorded eight points (3 g/2 a) on the year. Gottesman, a two-time NEC Rookie of the Week, is tied for the team lead inscoring with 12 points (5 g/2 a), while Nucifora leads all NEC netminders in save percentage (.824). Robert Morris boasts a pair of second team selections injunior midfielder Jamie Dodds (Hamilton, Ont./Sir Allen McNabb) and senior back Carlo Ciconte (Mississauga, Ont./St. Martin). Dodds ranks third on RMU inscoring with 18 points (6 g/6 a), while Ciconte has proven to be one of the NEC’s most reliable defenders. UMBC junior midfielder Michael Joseph (Baltimore,MD/Calvert Hall) emerged as one of UMBC’s top performers this year, as he ranks second on the team in scoring with 12 points (4 g/4 a). Sophomore midfielderNick Randazzo (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) was the catalyst for a Monmouth team that made a late run at a berth in the NEC Tournament. Randazzoled MU and ranks fourth the NEC in scoring with 22 points (8 g/6 a). Rounding out the all-NEC second team is Sacred Heart senior forward Franco Cartiera(New Britain, CT/New Britain). A two-time second team pick, Cartiera paced SHU in virtually every major statistical category including goals (10), scoring (20pts./10 g), points per game (1.43) and goals per game (0.71). 2002 NEC Men’s Soccer Award WinnersPlayer of the Year Rhian Dodds Robert Morris MF Sr Hamilton, Ont./Sir Allen McNabbRookie of the Year Jorden Holder Central Connecticut State F Fr Oxon, EnglandCoach of the Year Pete Caringi UMBC2002 NEC Men’s Soccer First Team All-Conference Forwards Said Ali Robert Morris Jr Hamilton, Ont./St. Bonaventure Univ.Derek McElligott UMBC So Baltimore, MD/Greater Christian Grace AcademyOskar Tilly Long Island Jr Karlstad, Sweden/Southampton CollegeMidfielders Joseph Afful St. Francis (NY) Sr Brooklyn, NY/St. Augustine’s (Ghana)Rhian Dodds Robert Morris Sr Hamilton, Ont./Sir Allen McNabbBrandon Scarfield Mount St. Mary’s Sr Baltimore, MD/Archbishop CurleyDavid Schofield Long Island Jr Preston, England/Rio Grande (OH) CollegeDefenders Taffarie Laing Fairleigh Dickinson Sr Kingston, Jamaica/Scotch Plains-Fanwood (NJ)Justin Nall UMBC Jr. Midlothian, VA/MidlothianMathieu Savaria Fairleigh Dickinson So Montreal, Que./Andre-Laurendeau Goalkeeper Brian Rowland UMBC Sr Toronto, Ont./York Memorial2002 NEC Men’s Soccer Second Team All-Conference Forwards Franco Cartiera Sacred Heart Sr New Britain, CT/New BritainJorden Holder Central Connecticut State Fr Oxon, EnglandAaron Paye Fairleigh Dickinson Sr Brooklyn Center, MN/ChamplinMidfielders Jamie Dodds Robert Morris Jr Hamilton, Ont./Sir Allen McNabbNadav Gottesman Fairleigh Dickinson Fr Haifa, Israel/M. FleimanMichael Joseph UMBC Jr Baltimore, MD/Calvert HallNick Randazzo Monmouth So Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland RegionalDefenders Carlo Ciconte Robert Morris Sr Mississauga, Ont./St. MartinNathan Meade Central Connecticut State So Arsenal, England/St. Augustine’sGarreth Wilkinson Central Connecticut State Jr Bangor, N. Ireland/BelfastGoalkeeper Andrew Nucifora Fairleigh Dickinson Jr Monroe, CT/Mitchell JC