Eight members of the Albertus Magnus men's soccer team have been tagged with 2011 GNAC All-Conference honors, including five First Team selections.
Jamal Howard (West Haven, Conn.), the 2011 GNAC Player of the Year, is joined by Stephen Zapata (Hamden, Conn.), Nick Hamasian (Hamden, Conn.), Chris Long (West Haven, Conn.) and Donato Piroscafo (Naugatuck, Conn.) as All-Conference First Team members.
Howard led the Falcons as well as the conference this year in goals scored and total points. With 21 goals and four assists, the senior has posted 46 points for the Falcons in 2011. During 2011 play, Howard set Albertus Magnus men's soccer records in career goals and points, while breaking the program's single-season record of goals scored.
The West Haven, Conn. native was named the GNAC Player of the Week twice throughout the season and registered a team-best six game-winning goals and two hat tricks.
Zapata leads the NCAA with 20 assists this season as he became only the 29th player in NCAA Division III men's soccer history to record 20 or more assists in a single season. On the year, Zapata recorded five goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 17 games played.
Hamasian started in all 14 games he played in during the year as he recorded one goal and one assist for three points. As a team captain, Hamasian served as the team's best one-on-one defender, while being a physical and attacking center back. He is a part of a Falcons' defense that has registered a 0.67 goals against average, while holding opponents to just 13 goals on the year. Last season, the junior was named the 2010 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Long, another key component to the Falcons' successful defense, earned a spot on the First Team as he has tallied two goals and one assist for five points in 19 games played. A junior, with an outstanding ability to read the game, has been a vocal leader during his career with the Falcons.
In goal for the Falcons in all 19 games so far this season has been Piroscafo, who was tagged as the First Team goalkeeper for the 2011 All-Conference squad. Currently this season, Piroscafo has posted a 0.72 goals allowed average as well as a .865 saves percentage for the Falcons. The sophomore has allowed 13 goals this season as the Falcons have outscored their opponents 52-13 on the year. With eight shutouts, Piroscafo has posted an overall record of 15-3-1, while registering 83 saves in net.
During the 2011 regular season, Piroscafo was named the GNAC Goalkeeper of the Week three times, including back-to-back weeks on Oct. 10 and Oct. 18.
Freshman Lindsley Barrett (Shelton, Conn.), the 2011 GNAC Rookie of the Year, was named to the GNAC All-Conference Second Team. Barrett has played and started in all 19 games this season for the Falcons as he as posted eight goals for 16 points. Barrett also recorded four game-winning goals, including the game winner in the Falcons' 2-1 victory at Suffolk on Sept. 10. During the regular season, the freshman was named the GNAC Rookie of the Week on Oct. 4 and Player of the Week on Sept. 12.
Two members of the Falcons' squad were named to the Third Team as freshman Jesse Plona (Trumbull, Conn.) and junior James Luchessi (Norwalk, Conn.) earned All-Conference honors as well.
Plona, an attacking midfielder for the Falcons, has made an immediate impact on the program during his first season at Albertus. In 19 games played, the freshman has recorded eight points on three goals and two assists.
Lucchesi has used his versatility to play all positions in the midfield for the Falcons. In 19 starts in 2011, the junior has recorded two goals and one assist for five points.
The Albertus Magnus men's soccer team will host its first-ever ECAC Tournament game on Wednesday, Nov. 9 as the Falcons welcome Endicott College to Celentano Field for a 1:30 p.m. contest.
