Three Men's Soccer Players Earn ECC Major Awards
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Nov. 6, 2013) - After an unbeaten regular-season record in East Coast Conference play, members of the LIU Post men's soccer team took home four out of five top All-Conference awards, as released Wednesday morning. Junior forward Eivind Austboe (Stavanger, Norway) was named the Offensive Player of the Year, senior back Eirik Bjoernoe (Randaberg, Norway) took home the Defensive Player of the Year award, Johann Kristjansson (Reykjavik, Iceland) got the Rookie of the Year nod, and Andreas Lindberg garnered Coach of the Year honors.
Austboe had a huge comeback season after missing the second half of the 2012 campaign with an injury. In 18 games, he has scored 20 goals and added nine assists for a whopping 49 points on the season. His goal and point totals lead the ECC, while his assist total ranks second. Austboe has also been clutch for the Pioneers by tallying a conference-high nine game-winning goals. The Stavanger, Norway native finds his name among the leaderboard for all of Division II as well. He ranks third in both points per game (3.08) and goals per game (1.31), and is sixth in the nation in both points and goals. After earning ECC Rookie of the Year and All-ECC second-team honors in 2011, Austboe was named an Honorary All-Conference member in 2012.
Kristjansson was another vital cog of the high-powered LIU Post offense in 2013. A two-time ECC Rookie of the Week, Kristjansson tallied 10 goals and three assists to total 23 points on the season. Both his point and goal totals were good for second in the conference.
Offense wasn't the only reason for the Pioneers outstanding season, as evidenced by Bjoernoe capturing Defensive Player of the Year kudos. Bjoernoe was the leader of a back line that helped LIU Post allow only a 0.91 goals-against average in 18 matches. His play helped the Pioneers shut out five opponents on the season. Bjoernoe also contributed by adding six assists to rank fourth in the ECC. He was named to the All-ECC first-team for the third time in his career with the green and gold.
Leading his team to an ECC regular-season title for the third-consecutive year, Andreas Lindberg has been voted the ECC Men's Soccer Coach of the Year by his peers for the third-straight season. He guided the Pioneers to a 15-1-2 regular-season record, spending three weeks as the No. 1 ranked team in the country along the way.
Joining Austboe and Bjoernoe on the All-ECC first-team are senior forward Cemil Turan (Staten Island, N.Y.), senior midfielder Jonathon Watkin (Doncaster, England) and sophomore midfielder Per Forgaard (Stavanger, Norway).
One of the senior leads for the Pioneers, Turan's 12 points (3 G, 6 A) are tied for 20th in the conference, after being named the ECC Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012. This marks the third-straight year Turan has been voted to the All-ECC first-team.
Watkin's explosive speed creates mismatches for defenses and has contributed to his nine-point (3 G, 3 A) showing in 2013. Forgaard has also contributed nine points (2 G, 5 A) as a midfielder after being named the ECC Rookie of the Year in 2012.
Senior goalkeeper Marco Jorgensen (Copenhagen, Denmark) was picked the to All-ECC second-team, after being named the Goalkeeper of the Year in 2011 and 2012. In 18 games, he has allowed just 17 goals for a 0.98 goals-against average and an .811 save average.
The Pioneers host Mercy in one of today's ECC Championship semifinals at the Men's Soccer Field in Brookville, N.Y. The opening kick is set for 1 p.m.
2013 ECC Men's Soccer All-Conference
First Team
F - Eivind Austboe, LIU Post
F - Dan Brown, Molloy
F - Matt DiDonna, NYIT
F - Cemil Turan, LIU Post
M - Vinny Caccavale, NYIT
M - Per Forgaard, LIU Post
M - Glen Reid, Queens
M - Jonathon Watkin, LIU Post
B - Eirik Bjoernoe, LIU Post
B - Lee Middleton, Bridgeport
B - Clayton Ulmer, Bridgeport
GK - Nick Papas, Mercy
Second Team
F - Kariym Balthazar, Dowling
F - Kyle Clifford, Daemen
F - Lee Martins, Bridgeport
M - Andreas Blanke, Bridgeport
M - Christian Diaz, Mercy
M - Javier Gallardo, NYIT
M - Jose Herrera, Dowling
B - Gonzalo Barroso, NYIT
B - Guillermo Fuentes, NYIT
B - Aitor Iriate Gurrutxaga, Queens
GK - Marco Jorgensen, LIU Post
Offensive Player of the Year: Eivind Austboe, Jr., F, LIU Post
Defensive Player of the Year: Eirik Bjoernoe, Sr., B, LIU Post
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nick Papas, Sr., GK, Mercy
Rookie of the Year: Johann Kristjansson, Fr., F, LIU Post
Coach of the Year: Andreas Lindberg, LIU Post