Zapata, Howard Earn ECAC Honors

The Albertus Magnus men's soccer team had two individuals earn Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) honors, which were announced Thursday evening. Jamal Howard (West Haven, Conn.) was named an ECAC Division III New England First-Team All- Star, while Stephen Zapata (Hamden, Conn.) was tagged with Second-Team honors.

Howard and Zapata were the only men's soccer players from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference selected for the teams, while 11 student-athletes were chosen for each team.

During the 2011 season, Howard earned numerous accolades as he was most recently named to the 2011 NSCAA/Continental Tires NCAA Division III All-America Second Team. With that honor, Howard became the first-ever Albertus Magnus student-athlete to earn All-America status.

Howard was named to the NCAA DIII All-New England First Team after leading the Falcons to a record-breaking year. The senior was named the GNAC Player of the Year as he finished the season with 50 points on 22 goals and six assists. He was also named to the GNAC All-Conference First Team.

During postseason play, Howard scored both goals in the Falcons' 2-0 shutout of Mount Ida in the GNAC Tournament (Oct. 31) and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team for his efforts. He also led the Falcons to their first-ever ECAC postseason victory as they defeated Endicott College 3-2.

The senior set program records in career goals and points at Albertus, while he set the single-season record in goals scored (22). In 80 career games as a Falcon, Howard scored 52 goals and registered 15 assists for 119 career points.

Zapata, who finished the season as the Nation's assist leader with 23 on the year, set an Albertus Magnus men's soccer program single-season record with his assist tally.

The Falcons finished the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record in GNAC play for the first time in program history, while they won 17 games on the year, another program-record.