MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Murphy Wiredu Headlines 2007 All-MAAC Men's Soccer Team

11/16/2007 5:00:00 AM

MAAC Sports

EDISON, NJ Saint Peter’s College senior forward Murphy Wiredu has been selected as the 2007 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches and headlines this season’s All-MAAC First Team.

Wiredu earned this award after leading the MAAC in scoring during the regular season. He posted 13 goals and five assists for 31 points through 16 games for the Peacocks.

Joining Wiredu with First Team All-MAAC honors is Loyola College’s Tennant McVea, the 2007 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. McVea, a sophomore defender for the Greyhounds, earned this honor after helping his squad to an overall record of 15-3 and an 8-1 mark in the MAAC.

Fellow Greyhound Phil Bannister claimed the 2007 MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. The freshman forward recorded 11 goals and four assists this season for 26 points, placing him third on the MAAC scoring list.

Also earning First Team selections along with Wiredu are Assaf Sheleg, Chris DeAbreu and Juan Gaviria from Saint Peter’s. McVea’s teammate Milos Kocic, along with Canisius College’s Alan McGreal, Fairfield University’s Sam Bailey, Iona College’s Bryan Oelkers, Manhattan College’s Josh Swett, and Siena College’s Liam Welsh round out the selections on the first team.

The All-MAAC Second Team consists of six backs: Canisius’ Sean Vella, Fairfield’s Tom Clements and Tom Skara, Loyola’s Camilo Correa and Niagara University’s Billy Gustafson. They are joined by five midfielders: Fairfield’s Matthew Uy, Iona’s Pasquale Abuiso, Loyola’s Eddie Dines, Manhattan’s Tony Safran and Siena’s Jason Laffin. The forwards are Iona’s Aly Lo, Loyola’s Phil Bannister and Saint Peter’s Udi Naim. The goalkeeper for the Second Team is Siena’s Steve Skonieczny.

Headlining the All-Rookie Team at the forward position with Bannister are Marist College’s Joe Touloumis and Siena’s Joe Tavernese. The midfielders include Dines from Loyola, Levi Tesch from Niagara and Lebogang Pila from Saint Peter’s. The backs are represented by Fairfield’s Jack Cleverly, Iona’s Roberto Hernandez-Raaen, Loyola’s Glenn Leitch, Manhattan’s Joshua Renner, Marist’s Steven Morales and Nico Mossa, Siena’s Daniel Aucar. Skonieczny is the goalkeeper on the All-Rookie Team.

Loyola head coach Mark Mettrick was named the 2007 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year. He has led the Greyhounds to an overall record of 15-3, including an 8-1 mark in the MAAC.

2007 MAAC Men’s Soccer Awards

Offensive Player of the Year

Murphy Wiredu, Saint Peter’s

Defensive Player of the Year

Tennant McVea, Loyola

Rookie of the Year

Phil Bannister, Loyola

Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year

Mark Mettrick, Loyola

First Team All-MAAC

Bryan Oelkers	Iona	Back
Tennant McVea	Loyola	Back
Assaf Sheleg	Saint Peter's	Back
Liam Welsh	Siena	Back
Sam Bailey	Fairfield	Midfielder
Josh Swett	Manhattan	Midfielder
Chris DeAbreu	Saint Peter's	Midfielder
Alan McGreal	Canisius	Forward
Juan Gaviria	Saint Peter's	Forward
Murphy Wiredu	Saint Peter's	Forward
Milos Kocic	Loyola	Goalkeeper

Second Team All-MAAC

Sean Vella	Canisius	Back
Tom Clements	Fairfield	Back
Tom Skara	Fairfield	Back
Camilo Correa	Loyola	Back
Josh Taylor	Loyola	Back
Billy Gustafson	Niagara	Back
Matthew Uy	Fairfield	Midfielder
Pasquale Abuiso	Iona	Midfielder
Eddie Dines	Loyola	Midfielder
Tony Safran	Manhattan	Midfielder
Jason Laffin	Siena	Midfielder
Aly Lo	Iona	Forward
Phil Bannister	Loyola	Forward
Udi Naim	Saint Peter's	Forward
Steve Skonieczny	Siena	Goalkeeper

All-Rookie Team

Jack Cleverly	Fairfield	Back
Roberto Hernandez-Raaen	Iona	Back
Glenn Leitch	Loyola	Back
Joshua Renner	Manhattan	Back
Steven Morales	Marist	Back
Nico Mossa	Marist	Back
Daniel Aucar	Siena	Back
Eddie Dines	Loyola	Midfielder
Levi Tesch	Niagara	Midfielder
Lebogang Pila	Saint Peter's	Midfielder
Phil Banniser	Loyola	Forward
Joe Touloumis	Marist	Forward
Joe Tavernese	Siena	Forward