DePaul University Athletics
Visser, Blazer and Tinkham Highlight BIG EAST Banquet
11/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
HARTFORD, Conn. DePaul goalkeeper Brian Visser was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and the coaching staff of Craig Blazer and Adam Tinkham were named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year at Thursday night’s banquet. The Blue Demons were also awarded their regular-season Red Division trophy and all players were recognized individually for the regular-season title.
Blazer and Tinkham guided the Blue Demons to the best season in program history that has the team in Hartford, Conn., for tomorrow’s BIG EAST semifinals. DePaul claimed the 2007 Red Division title after being picked to finish eighth in the preseason coaches poll. DePaul also set record with 11 shutouts this season and a 9-1-0 record at Wish Field. DePaul 12 victories heading into tomorrow’s match against Notre Dame tie the program’s season record set in 1994.
Visser is in the midst of rewriting the DePaul goalkeeping records as he set new marks for career shutouts, season shutouts and consecutive shutouts. Visser earned the Goalkeeper of the Year honors with 10 shutouts, 54 saves and a goals against average of 0.69. In 11 BIG EAST contests, he allowed just seven goals and held six league opponents scoreless. He is the first DePaul male athlete to earn a major BIG EAST award in an Olympic sport since the Blue Demons joined the league three seasons ago.
Connecticut senior Julius James was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight year in men’s soccer, while his teammate, junior forward O’Brian White, was tabbed Offensive Player of the Year. West Virginia senior Andy Wright was named Midfielder of the Year, while Seton Hall midfielder Brayan Martinez was picked Rookie of the Year. Voting was conducted among the league’s 16 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The 26th annual BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Championship resumes on Nov. 16 with semifinal action at 5:00 and 7:30 p.m. at Morrone Stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut, live on CSTV:College Sports Television. This year’s seeds held to form, as DePaul, No. 1 in the Red Division, will face off against Notre Dame, No. 2 in the Blue Division, in the night’s first game. The No. 1 seed in the Blue Division, Connecticut, will take on Louisville, No. 2 in the Red Division, in the nightcap of the doubleheader. The winners advance to Sunday’s championship final at noon, which will be televised by several regional cable outlets.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
O’Brian White, Connecticut, Jr., F
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Julius James, Connecticut, Sr., D
BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year
Andy Wright, West Virginia, Sr., MF
BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Brian Visser, DePaul, Jr., GK
BIG EAST Rookie of the Year
Brayan Martinez, Seton Hall, Fr., MF
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
DePaul head coach Craig Blazer; assistant coach Adam Tinkham
All-BIG EAST First Team
Kenny Anaba, Cincinnati, Sr., F
Eliseo Giusfredi, Seton Hall, Jr., F
*Julius James, Connecticut, Sr., D
*Joseph Lapira, Notre Dame, Sr., F
Ryan Maduro, Providence, Sr., MF
*Ryan Miller, Notre Dame, Sr., MF
Kevon Neaves, USF, So., MF
Toni Stahl, Connecticut, So., MF
Brian Visser, DePaul, Jr., GK
*O’Brian White, Connecticut, Jr., F
Andy Wright, West Virginia, Sr., MF
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Matt Besler, Notre Dame, Jr., D
Chris Cahill, Notre Dame, Sr., GK
Ryan Cordeiro, Connecticut, Sr., MF
Yohance Marshall, USF, Jr., D
Akeem Priestley, Connecticut, Jr., MF
Simon Schoendorf, USF, Jr., MF
Jordan Seabrook, USF, Jr.., F
Mike Seamon, Villanova, So., MF
Jeff Stepan, St. John’s, Sr., D
Dan Stratford, West Virginia, Sr., MF
Hansen Woodruff, Syracuse, So., F
All-BIG EAST Third Team
Bernardo Anor, USF, Fr., MF
Len Coleman, Georgetown, So., D
Phil Edington, Louisville, So., D
Josh Ford, Connecticut, RS-Fr., GK
Jason Landers, St. John’s, Sr., GK
Kurt Martin, Notre Dame, Sr., F
Brayan Martinez, Seton Hall, Fr., MF
Luis Martinez, Syracuse, So., MF
Brad Peetoom, Syracuse, Sr., D
Jack Traynor, Notre Dame, Jr., D
Othaniel Yanez, Louisville, So., MF
All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team
Matt Armstrong, Notre Dame, Fr., MF
Joel Gustafsson, St. John’s, So., D
Amir Ikner, Cincinnati, Sr., D
Gift Maworere, West Virginia, So., MF
Mike Pezza, Connecticut, So., MF