Appalachian State’s Broaden, Delbridge earn NSCAA Scholar All-Region honors
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Appalachian State University men’s soccer program tacked on two academic awards that were handed out by the NSCAA for the Scholar All-South Region team.
Representing the Mountaineers were first-team selection and senior defender Harrison Delbridge and second-team selection and junior striker Stanley Broaden. Delbridge holds a 3.6 GPA in advertising, while Broaden has a 3.6 GPA while majoring in exercise science.
Delbridge started on defense for Appalachian State and was the focal point of a tough backline for the Mountaineers. The Raleigh, N.C. native also provided an offensive boost, scoring three goals, including the game-winner against Wofford on Oct. 15. The win over Wofford was the Terriers’ only regular-season loss in conference play for the eventual regular-season Southern Conference champions.
Broaden paced the Mountaineers offense, leading the team in goals and tying for the team lead in assists. The junior netted five goals and tallied four assists to lead the Apps with 14 points in 2013. On his birthday earlier in the season, the two-sport athlete netted two goals on the road at ETSU, with the second proving to be a golden goal with 33 seconds left in the second overtime period to lift the Mountaineers to victory.
To be named to a Scholar All-Region Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) throughout his or her career; start more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team; and be nominated by an institution that is a current NSCAA College Services member.
Elon puts three on NSCAA Scholar All-South Region teams
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Elon University men’s soccer trio of Nathan Dean, Jason Waterman and Matt Wescoe were selected to the 2013 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-South Region First Team as announced by the association.
Elon received more first-team selections than any other institution in the region, as Dean, Waterman and Wescoe qualified for a chance to earn a spot on the NSCAA Scholar National Teams that will be announced on Wednesday.
Waterman became the fourth member of the program to be named Academic All-American after being selected to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-American Third Team on Nov. 26. A communication science major, Waterman led the Phoenix with 31 points on the year (team-high 12 goals and seven assists), ranking among the top 10 in the nation in total points. He scored the game-winning goal in the Phoenix’s 1-0, double-overtime win over Wofford in the Southern Conference championship match that gave the maroon and gold its third straight league tournament title and NCAA tournament berth.
A two-time SoCon Player of the Week performer in 2013, Dean was selected to the CoSIDA Capital One All-District III first team along with Waterman on Oct. 31. The Liverpool, England, native played all but five minutes between the posts for the maroon and gold and had six clean sheets on the year, moving into third place on the program’s all-time career list with 16. He was also tabbed the league’s Student-Athlete of the Week in 2013 and named first-team All-SoCon this season.
Wescoe earned his second straight NSCAA Scholar All-South Region honor after receiving second-team accolades last season. The Willow Springs, N.C., native was also a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District III first-team selection last season and ranked third on the team in points this year with 17 (five goals, team-best seven assists). Wescoe also tied the team lead in game winners with three, including a goal in the Phoenix’s 5-1 win over Georgia Southern in the semifinals of the SoCon tournament. Wescoe received second-team All-SoCon accolades this season and finished his career at Elon in the top 10 in career assists.
Dean, Waterman and Wescoe were also selected to the 2013 Fall Academic All-SoCon team earlier this week.
Furman places two on NSCAA Scholar All-South Region teams
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Furman midfielder Michael Gandier and defender Eric Steber have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association Scholar All-South Region Second Team, it was announced this week by the NSCAA.
Gandier, a native of Hastings, Minn., started in all 18 matches for the Paladins while helping the squad to an 11-5-2 record and earning second-team All-Southern Conference honors in 2013. The senior defensive midfielder netted his only goal of the season, a match-winner, in a victory at ninth-ranked Clemson.
Also called on to play center back this season due to injuries in the back line, Gandier helped anchor a Furman defense that allowed just 14 goals and posted a 0.74 goals against average for the season. A business administration major and second-team NSCAA Scholar All-Region pick last year, he entered the semester with a 3.63 GPA.
Steber, a native of Cary, N.C., made a successful switch from left back to right back this season. He started in all 18 games and was a key piece in the league’s top defense. The junior sports a 3.36 GPA in political science.
Furman has placed 10 players on the NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Team and three on the NSCAA Scholar All-America squad since 2007.
Wofford’s Padula earns NSCAA Scholar All-South Region honor
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Wofford men's soccer's senior defender Billy Padula has been named to the NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Second Team for his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom this season.
Padula, a native of Irmo, S.C., started in all 19 games this season for the Terriers at the center back position. He was a part of a Wofford men’s soccer team that won its first Southern Conference regular-season title since 2009 and appeared in its third Southern Conference Championship game in the last five seasons.
He has excelled in the classroom as a double major in business economics and government, posting an overall grade point average of 3.88.
In addition to this award, Padula has also earned a CoSIDA Capital One All-America Team honor and a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District IV Team selection. Padula is only the second player in Wofford men’s soccer history to be named to the All-America Team and is the first Terrier to make it as a second-team selection.
Not only was he a huge part of a defense that gave up six goals in Southern Conference play, but he also made an enormous impact on the offensive end, tallying a single-season career-high 11 assists. His 11 assists not only rank first on the team and in the Southern Conference but also rank in the top five in NCAA Division I men's soccer.
To add to all of his achievements, Padula is a two-time member of the Southern Conference Fall All-Academic Team and a three-time member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.