Jan. 4, 2007
OAKLAND, Calif. - Sophomore Chris Seitz and freshmen Jeremy Hall and Omar Gonzalez were all honored by Soccer America when the publication handed out its postseason awards. Seitz was one of 11 student-athletes in the nation honored as a MVP. Hall was tabbed as a first-team All-Freshman selection while Gonzalez was placed on the second team.
Seitz was also a NSCAA/adidas All-America Third Team selection and was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Hall has been recognized as one of the elite freshman in the country as he was honored by College Soccer News as a first-team All-Freshman and was named the ACC Freshman of the Year, Maryland's first since the award began in 1990. Gonzalez was also an All-Freshman selection by the ACC.
Seitz anchored the Maryland backline which racked up 10 shutouts in 16 wins. He put together a fantastic sophomore campaign with a goals against average of 0.66 and a save percentage of .816. His record of 15-4-1 this past season improved his career mark to 28-5-3. In the Terps' final regular season game against Virginia Tech and in the first round game in the ACC Tournament against Boston College, Seitz saved a career-high eight shots.
Hall provided a huge boost to the Terrapins' attack in his first year in College Park. He was second on the team with seven goals and added three assists for 17 points. He tallied his first-career goal against UCLA on September 2 and then tallied a goal in consecutive matches against Clemson and Mount St. Mary's. In the Terps' 2-0 win against Penn State on September 20, Hall assisted on both goals which was a season best for helpers. In the next game at Wake Forest, he scored the equalizer in the 79th minute that sparked a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
He also contributed a pair of game-winning goals for the Terrapins, including the clincher against St. John's in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 6-5 Gonzalez was a strong, physical presence on the back line for the Terps all season. He was one of just three student-athletes to start all 22 matches this year. Gonzalez helped Maryland shut out 10 of its opponents in 2006. In their season-best six game winning streak in the middle of the season, Gonzalez led the Terps' defense as they allowed a single goal in those contests. Maryland outscored its opponents 11-1 in that stretch.
Gonzalez also helped out on the attack as he tallied five points with a goal and three assists.
Soccer America Men's MVPs
M Nico Colaluca (Virginia)
F Charlie Davies (Boston College)
D Andy Iro (UC Santa Barbara)
F Joseph Lapira (Notre Dame)
D Jay Needham (SMU)
M David Roth (Northwestern)
G Chris Seitz (Maryland)
F Jarrod Smith (West Virginia)
D Julian Valentin (Wake Forest)
M Michael Videira (Duke)
M Sal Zizzo (UCLA)
Soccer America All-Freshman First Team
F Andre Akpan (Harvard)
D Nick Cardenas (San Diego State)
F David Estrada (UCLA)
M Michael Farfan (Cal State Fullerton)
M Jeremy Hall (Maryland)
G Sean Kelley (George Mason)
M Stephen McCarthy (Santa Clara)
F Kyle Nakazawa (UCLA)
F Ryan Soroka (St. John's)
D Bakary Soumare (Virginia)
F Darren Yeagle (Indiana)
Second Team
G Jovan Bubonja (UIC)
D Greg Eckhardt (Clemson)
D Omar Gonzalez (Maryland)
M Ciaran O'Brien (San Diego)
D Ofori Sarkodie (Indiana)
F Zack Schilawski (Wake Forest)
D Chris Schuler (Creighton)
M Toni Stahl (Connecticut)
M Michael Stephens (UCLA)
M Jonathan Villanueva (Virginia)
D Rob Viviano (Saint Louis)
