Stony Brook Sweeps Final Women’s Soccer Awards of 2008

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Stony Brook, which is in the midst of a four-game winnings streak in women’s soccer, swept the final weekly awards of 2008 after posting two wins and earning the No. 2 seed for the upcoming America East Championship. Senior Brooke Barbuto (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) was tabbed Player of the Week award for the second time this season, while freshman Colleen McKenna (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) earned Rookie of the Week honors award for the third time.

Barbuto racked up nine points in two Stony Brook wins last week. Barbuto scored the tying goal against Binghamton on Wednesday and then assisted on the game winner. A senior midfielder, Barbuto tallied assists on the first two goals against Maine and converted a penalty kick for her fifth goal of the season on Sunday. The wins gave Stony Brook 10 wins for the first time since 1994 and six America East trophy wins for the first time since joining the league in 2001.

McKenna (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) earned her second straight Rookie of the Week award as she tallied 11 points in just two games last week. A freshman forward, McKenna scored scored the Seawolves’ first goal, just 2:32 into the game, in a 3-2 win over Albany on Thursday. A freshman forward, McKenna scored the game winner against Binghamton on Thursday with just 5:51 remaining. She added two more scores and an assist in the Seawolves’ 5-0 win over Maine on Sunday.

In the Women’s Soccer Championship awards, No. 3 seeded New Hampshire (6-10-1, 5-3-0) will host No. 6 seed Binghamton (7-8-1, 3-5-0) on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in one quarterfinal matchup. Fourth-seeded Hartford (8-5-4, 4-3-1) hosts No. 5 seed Maine (6-5-6, 3-3-2) at 6 p.m. in the other quarterfinal contest. Semifinal action with take place on Sunday, November 2 with the winner of New Hampshire and Binghamton traveling to No. 2 seed Stony Brook (10-7-0, 6-2-0) for a 6 p.m. contest. The winner of Hartford and Maine will go to No. 1 seed Boston University (13-5-1, 8-0-0 ) for a 1 p.m. start. The championship award game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 8 or Sunday, Nov. 9 at the highest remaining seed.

Originated from America East Communications

The Real Deal – Wake Forest’s Marcus Tracy could become the school’s first Hermann Trophy winner

Marcus Tracy leads the Wake Forest soccer team with 10 goals and 26 points, which includes six assists.

While watching Marcus Tracy play soccer, it’s easy to envision him in a helmet and pads helping the Wake Forest football team at safety, or lacing up his old basketball shoes and filling in at point guard.

However, Tracy is content with soccer and with trying to help the top-ranked Deacons win another national championship.

He has maintained his high level of play from last season — he was voted the most outstanding offensive player at last year’s College Cup trophy — and has helped Wake Forest to a 13-0 record heading into today’s 7 p.m. match against Duke at Spry Stadium.

Midfielder Sam Cronin, a fellow senior, summed up what Tracy has meant to the program.

“He’s the essence of this team because as many goals as he scores, he’s always looking to the guy who gave him the assist to compliment him,” Cronin said. “He kind of gets the spotlight a lot, but he deflects a lot of that to his teammates.”

Tracy (6-1, 170) leads the Deacons in goals (10) and points (26, with six assists). He has breakaway speed and, Coach Jay Vidovich says, one of the best vertical games in program history.

“In terms of athleticism, I don’t think there’s anybody we’ve had as complete as Marcus,” said Vidovich, who is in his 15th season. “With his air game, he can open it up, he’s technically clean, and he’s a team guy. And athletically, he’s just special that way.”

Although it seems as if there’s nothing Tracy can’t do, there are things he doesn’t like to do. He has a hard time talking about himself. He especially doesn’t like spiders.

Cronin said: “I do know he doesn’t like spiders. And I think off the field, he’s the greatest, nicest guy and is so humble. He’s probably going to be mad that you are even doing a story on him.”

Tracy, who has a chance to become Wake Forest’s first Hermann Trophy winner as the top player in college soccer, was a main cog in the Deacons’ run to their first NCAA championship last fall. He scored three goals in the College Cup trophy, including the winner in the semifinals against Virginia Tech.

There was some speculation that Tracy might bypass his final college season to turn pro — there are as many as 10 former Deacons playing Major League Soccer — but he decided to return.

“We have set higher goals for this team this year,” said Tracy, an economics major who is on schedule to graduate in May. “And (there’s) the degree and how far that can take you in life. These opportunities don’t present themselves all the time, so I talked to all the right people, from my family to the coaches, and I’m happy with my decision.”

Donald Tracy, Marcus’ father, said that his son didn’t think too hard about leaving school early.

“I do know his mother, who is an educator, wanted him to finish his degree,” Donald said of Marguerite, a fifth- and sixth-grade math and science teacher in Newtown, Conn. “And I wanted him to finish as well.”

At Newtown High School, Tracy played soccer and basketball and also ran the 400 meters for the track team. At Wake Forest, Tracy, Cronin and several other soccer players formed an intramural basketball team as freshmen and dominated their league.

“The team was pretty much built around getting the ball to Marcus,” Cronin said.

Tracy said he enjoyed playing basketball again, for at least that one season.

“We didn’t sign up fast enough to be in the ‘A’ division, so we were playing frat kids, and we were just killing people,” Tracy said.

“We were winning every game, but the mercy rule was that if we got up 30, the game was over. It was pretty much like that in about every game.”

Tracy said that the team finally quit the league during the playoffs, because it wasn’t any fun anymore.

“Up until freshman or sophomore year of high school, I was better at basketball than soccer,” Tracy said. “But I don’t look back on that and I don’t have any regrets.… I’m completely happy with how soccer has turned out for me.”

When asked about the Hermann Trophy consideration, Tracy shrugged his shoulders.

“I think for me the biggest thing is to accomplish our three goals, getting the regular-season title, getting the ACC Tournament title and the national title and that would bring recognition to everybody on this team,” Tracy said. “That’s really my focus.”

Originally written by By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

AVID Soccer Opens 2008 Award Nominations

On 24 September 2008, AVID Soccer will open the nomination stage of their annual review cycle. Nominations will remain open until 10 October. All readers are welcome to submit nominations to reviews@avidsoccer.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Nominations will be announced the week of 13 October.

Awards are based on the shoot-out results, reviews and reader comments on the AVID Soccer blog. Award categories include:
• Best Boot – Based on fit, comfort, durability, aesthetics/desirability, price and availability
• Best Goalkeeper Glove – Based on comfort, durability, adhesion, aesthetics, price and availability
• Best Ball – Based on shape, feel/control, durability, aesthetics/desirability, price and availability
• Best Kit – Based on comfort, fit, available styles/colors, durability/wear characteristic, care requirements and price
• Coolest Lifestyle Product – Based on style, comfort, price, durability and reader feedback
• Most Innovative Product – Based on new products in 2008 that bring a different approach to Soccer; all categories and products are possible, but they must be reviewed by AVID Soccer

The voting will be weighted 60/40 for the AVID Soccer team and readers respectively. The lifecycle category will reverse the weighting.

Products, not previously reviewed, must be submitted no later than 22 October 2008. This will give AVID Soccer time to review the product and readers a chance to respond. Information on product submissions can be found at AVID Soccer (http://www.avidsoccer.com/submit.aspx).

About AVID Soccer:
AVID Soccer is a grass roots organization that provides information and training to individual players, groups and teams. AVID Soccer consists of coaches and trainers dedicated to improving the image of soccer; the level of training; and the level of play. (www.avidsoccer.com)

The AVID Soccer Equipment Review is one of the largest independent Soccer Equipment sites. It provides objective testing services, reviews and information on soccer equipment and related products. They currently have over 20 testers ranging from U-9 players through semi-pro. The AVID Soccer Equipment review web log was founded in March 2006. (blog.avidsoccer.com)

Originally written by Editor Choice, PR Canada

Mandela honored today at the Nelson Mandela Foundation event.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter today (Tuesday, 16 September) paid tribute to” his friend Madiba” at a private audience at the Nelson Mandela Foundation with a very special gift. To commemorate the historic moment on 15 May 2004 when the former President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Nelson Mandela, emotionally raised the iconic Trophy right after the 2010 FIFA World Cup was awarded to South Africa, Blatter handed over a specifically manufactured replica of the FIFA World Cup. “You are the true architect of this FIFA World Cup; your presence and commitment made it happen. Now the first African FIFA World Cup is a reality and the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009 – the dress re-hearsal – will already take place in less than ten months’ time,” explained Blatter on handing over the trophy to Mandela “I remember that moment back in Zurich. It’s an honour to welcome you here today. It was my desire to meet you and I am happy that we managed it. Thank you for this very special gift,” said Mr. Mandela, who assigned the Trophy a special place in his office. The FIFA President was accompanied by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke and FIFA Ambassador Tokyo Sexwale.

The FIFA President spoke with Mr. Mandela on his itinerary since arriving South Africa on Sunday and told him how confident he was that the 2010 FIFA World Cup would be a magnificent event. In particular ,the FIFA President talked about his visit that same morning to the iconic Soccer City stadium when he was welcomed by enthusiastic construction workers regaling him with a stirring rendition of “Shosholoza” – a popular local tune which has become South African workers’ theme song whenever the FIFA President visits FIFA World Cup stadium sites in the country. “This is the centre of all the activities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and I am so impressed by the magnitude of the construction of this stadium which already more than 20,000 seats in place. It’s great, it’s big, it’s huge. It is like a temple where people will assemble in 2010,” said Blatter.

Mr. Mandela was keen also on President Blatter’s assessment of the current performance of the South African football team Bafana Bafana, while the pair also fondly reminisced about the glorious South African team that won the 1996 African Cup of Nations on home soil. Now the team must start concentrating on preparations for next year’s FIFA Confederations Cup, when they have to compete against top teams such as reigning world champions Italy, Brazil, USA and European champions Spain. South Africa has the talent but it is time now to show it,” explained Blatter. Mr. Mandela then told the guests about his football experiences back as a schoolboy and stressed that football is a people’s sport. To conclude the short visit the FIFA President added: “This is the highlight of my stay here in South Africa to meet my dear friend Madiba. I feel at home in this beautiful and proud country. Good bless you and I hope to see you at the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on 11 June 2010 at Soccer City stadium.”

Originally written by Ramon Aranda