Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved.
NEWARK, Del. - - A trio of Wilmington University men's soccer team student-athletes added All-Region honors as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) announced its postseason accolades.
The three Wildcats were named to the 2016 NSCAA Division II Men's All-East Region Second Team, voted on by the region's head coaches. Seniors Geoff Velasquez and Juan Bernal capped their careers with the all-region honor while freshman Lorne Bickley collects another postseason accolade after his stellar first year.
Velasquez (New Castle, Del./William Penn) has been a four-year starter as an outside back for the Wildcats, this year being named a team captain. He anchored the defense while repeatedly joining in on the attack as well. He finished sixth on the team with seven points, scoring all three of his penalty kick chances while also adding one assist on the year. He leaves the program with the most games played and started (82) in program history, as well as the most minutes played in a career, by far. He was also a D2CCA Division II All-East Region Second Team member this season.
Juan Bernal (Mississauga, Ontario/Iona Catholic) finished third on the team with 15 points this year, starting all 19 games as the central midfielder. The senior started hot, scoring four of his five goals in the first three games of the season, scoring twice against the District of Columbia and two more against Chestnut Hill. He set a season high with five points against UDC, adding an assist. Bernal also scored a goal and added an assist at Philadelphia on October 19, accounting for the game-winner. She was named the CACC Player of the Week on September 12 and was a First Team All-CACC member.
Bickley (St. Helier, Jersey/De La Salle College) was named the CACC Rookie of the Year after leading the team and finishing second in the CACC with 12 goals and 29 points. He tied the program's all-time rookie record with 12 goals in a season, tying the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer Sargbah Tarpeh's freshman season in 2006. He scored two goals and added an assist in his first collegiate appearance on September 7 against the District of Columbia, and totaled a season high five points again with two goals and an assist against Holy Family on September 27. He was named the CACC Rookie of the Week four times and a D2CCA Division II All-East Region Second Team member this season.
The Wildcats went 12-6-1 overall and earned the third seed in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament with a 7-4-1 conference record. The Wildcats advanced to the CACC Tournament Semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.
AGATE:
2016 NSCAA Division II Men's All-East Region Second Team
GK – Spenser Powell – Sr. – Adelphi University
D – Joseph Briers – Sr. – Merrimack College
D – Jack Ball – Sr. – Le Moyne College
D – Tobias Esche – Gr. – Southern New Hampshire
D – Geoff Velasquez – Sr. - Wilmington University
M – Toni Soler – Jr. – Adelphi University
M – Harry Pearse – Jr. – LIU Post
M – Juan Bernal – Sr. - Wilmington University
F – Michael Clarke – Sr. – Georgian Court University
F – Lorne Bickley – Fr. - Wilmington University
F – Ryan Rooney – So. – College of Saint Rose