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Somerset, NJ - Monmouth junior forward Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck) was awarded Northeast Conference (NEC) Men’s Soccer Player of the Year honors in a vote by league head coaches. Teammate and senior defender Daniel Bostock (Nottinghamshire, England) claimed NEC Defensive Player of the Year accolades, while Fairleigh Dickinson freshman forward Dominic Reinold (Wesseling, Germany) earned NEC Rookie of the Year distinction. Monmouth’s Robert McCourt was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year by his peers.

With the 2009 NEC Men’s Soccer Tournament mere hours away, the awards were presented on Thursday evening at a banquet held in West Long Branch, NJ near tourney host Monmouth University. In Friday’s first semifinal contest on the Great Lawn, the top-seeded Hawks take on fourth-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson at 11:00 a.m., followed by #2 seed St. Francis (NY) entertaining #3 seed Quinnipiac at 1:30 p.m. The winner of the NEC championship match, which is slated for noon on Sunday, Nov. 15, will earn the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. First round NCAA action begins on Nov. 20 at campus sites yet to be determined.

Kinne becomes the third player in Hawk history to claim NEC Player of the Year recognition, joining Joni Kallioinen (1990-91) and Steven Holloway (2006). Following a 10-goal, 26-point sophomore campaign, Kinne was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List prior to the start of the 2009 season. Since then, the forward has racked up 24 points (second in NEC) on nine goals (third in NEC) and six assists (tied for third in NEC) to help the nationally-ranked squad record program-best marks of 16-1-1 overall and 8-1-1 in Conference play en route to their unprecedented fifth-straight NEC regular season title. A two-time adidas/NEC Player of the Week this fall, Kinne enters the postseason as MU’s leading scorer and ranked among the top-31 in the nation with 1.33 points per game. Now a two-time first team all-Conference selection, Kinne is a clutch presence on the front line as his five game-winning tallies are a NEC best.

Bostock becomes the second straight Monmouth player and third overall in the four-year history of the award to earn NEC Defensive Player of the Year merit, joining former Hawks Hugh MacDonald (2006) and Angelo Amato (2008). Earning all-NEC honors for the third time in as many years, including two consecutive stints on the first team, Bostock is one of the ringleaders among a Hawk defense that allowed a league-low five goals and posted a Conference-best 13 shutouts this season to tie the mark set by the 2006 squad. The senior defender has patrolled the area in front of the net for 54 consecutive matches and is the general of a unit that leads the country in team goals against average, allowing just 0.33 goals per match, and is second in Division I in team save percentage (.891). Hailing from Nottinghamshire, England, Bostock was also named to the NSCAA Division I All-North Atlantic Region Second Team a year ago.

Reinold is in the midst of a memorable debut season for Fairleigh Dickinson as the NEC Rookie of the Year currently paces the Conference with 28 points and 12 goals, while his four assists are tied for the sixth slot on the loop. Needing to win their final five NEC contests in order to clinch their 16th berth to the postseason, the Knights did just that by outscoring their opponents 16-4 with Reinold leading the charge as his torrid scoring pace resulted in seven goals and two assists over that five-game span. A native of Wesseling, Germany, Reinold recorded at least one point on eight occasions this year, proving to be the catalyst in FDU’s attacking efforts as the squad went 7-1 in those contests when the forward’s name appeared in the boxscore. Reinold earned an unprecedented three adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week nods - one of which was coupled with adidas/NEC Player of the Week distinction - as he becomes the seventh Knight to be bestowed with NEC Rookie of the Year honors and the first since current teammate Samson Malijani (2006).

With a youthful squad that features just one senior, McCourt has worked wonders in leading #8 Monmouth to a landmark season that saw the Hawks capture their league-record fifth consecutive NEC Regular Season Title. McCourt is at the helm of a program that enjoyed its stints on the NSCAA National Rankings for a program-best 10 straight weeks, including six weeks inside the top-10 in the country. Highlighting the Hawks’ success was the Oct. 20 edition of the NSCAA poll, which slated MU at #7 to match the national standing FDU attained during its 2005 campaign and marking a NEC-best in the modern era. McCourt’s squad also sat in the top spot in the NSCAA North Atlantic Region Rankings for a majority of the season, slipping only once into the number two slot. Now a four-time NEC Coach of the Year, McCourt’s emphasis on defense guided them to program-best records of 16-1-1 overall and an 8-1-1 clip in NEC play, as the Hawks’ eight NEC wins is the highest total in Conference competition for any league team since Long Island and UMBC both went 8-1-1 in 2002. Since McCourt took over the program in 2004, MU has gone 41-8-11 on home turf while their stifling defensive tactics have resulted in 59 shutouts overall.

Joining MU’s Kinne and Bostock on the all-NEC first team is freshman teammate Ryan Clark (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township). In late-August, the local talent was named to the "College Soccer News 100 Freshmen From Coast To Coast To Keep An Eye On In 2009" list after closing out his high school career as the 2008 Shore Conference Player of the Year. Since then, Clark has lived up to expectations as the two-time adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week is tied for sixth in the league with six goals and shares fifth place on the circuit with 16 points. The midfielder is also second in the NEC with four game-winning markers after starting all 16 matches in which he has appeared this season.

Sharing first team all-league status with FDU’s Reinold is his sophomore counterpart and teammate Paul King (New Castle, England). A second-team all-NEC honoree as a freshman, King’s 2009 campaign saw the New Castle, England native put forth well-rounded performances that resulted in 16 points (tied for fifth in NEC) on five goals (tied for eighth in NEC) and six assists (tied for third in NEC). King’s six helpers were also a team best.

St. Francis (NY) and Quinnipiac each placed a pair of representatives on the first team, including Terrier seniors Semso Nikocevic (Brooklyn, NY/Sheepshead Bay) and Anthony Matos (Wantagh, NY/Holy Cross HS), along with Bobcat junior Pierre Soubrier (Aurignac, France) and senior Frederick Hall (St. George, Bermuda). From the midfield, Nikocevic helped pave the way for the SFNY offense with five goals to rank tied for eighth in the NEC, as three of those tallies were game winners. Celebrating in his third first team all-NEC nod in as many years, the Brooklyn product also distributed a trio of assists to total 13 points and round out the top-10 on the loop. Matos helped anchor a Terrier defense that blanked opponents on six occasions - a mark good for a share of third in the NEC - as four of those shutouts came during the league portion of their schedule. For QU, Soubrier was a dynamic defender who finished second on the team in points (eight) and goals (four). Soubrier was head coach Eric Da Costa’s choice to take penalty kicks, as the Frenchman proved to be poised under pressure by converting a pair of PKs. Hall’s final season between the pipes saw the senior netminder appear among the top-26 in the nation all year in both save percentage and goals against average. At one point, Hall led the country with a .934 save percentage as he concluded the regular season second in the NEC in goals against average (0.68), save percentage (.888) and shutouts (nine). The St. George, Bermuda product completed his QU career as a three-time all-Conference selection.

Rounding out the first team are Mount St. Marys’ sophomore Chris Wheeler (Newcastle, Australia) and Central Connecticut State junior Robert Cavener (Tynemouth, England). The 2008 NEC Rookie of the Year, Wheeler paced the Mount offensively for the second season running. From the front line, Wheeler accumulated 17 points and eight goals, both of which are marks that rank eighth in the NEC. The sophomore did most of his damage when it mattered most, notching six tallies and 13 points against Conference competition. Now a two-time all-leaguer, Cavener’s playmaking abilities from the midfield resulted in the title of the NEC assists leader (eight) while his 10 points ranked second on the Blue Devils. Landing among the nation’s top in the assists per game category all season, Cavener concluded his sophomore campaign with 0.47 apg to place 23rd in Division I.

Monmouth placed a trio of student-athletes on the second team, including sophomore midfielder Max Hamilton (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), sophomore defender RJ Allen (Old Bridge, NJ/St. Joseph’s) and junior goalkeeper Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood). Starting in all 18 contests this year, Hamilton is a staple in the MU midfield, contributing a game-winning goal at Bryant on Oct. 16. Along with being part of the Hawks’ top-notch back line, Allen has shown a flair for creating scoring opportunities this year. The Garden State product scored a pair of goals - both of which came in a crucial 2-0 victory over Quinnipiac (Nov. 1) - to earn a spot on the league’s weekly honor roll while also contributing a team-high seven assists to rank second in the NEC. As the Hawks’ last line of defense, Meredith enjoyed a break-out season in his second full campaign in MU’s net as the keeper leads the country in goals against average (0.31) and ranks third in save percentage (.889). Meredith logged a league-high 12 shutouts this fall to up his career total to 23 blankings.

St. Francis (NY) placed another pair on the all-NEC second team in the form of junior forward John Sallhag (Vaxjo, Sweden) and senior defender Javier Gonzalez (Caracas, Venezuela). Now a three-time all-leaguer, Sallhag ranks third on the squad with 10 points on three goals and four assists - a mark that is tied for the team high and the fourth spot in the Conference. Though mainly stationed in their own half of the pitch, Gonzalez was productive on the attack for the Terriers by notching an even two goals and two assists.

A mix of old and new represents Quinnipiac on the all-NEC second team as senior midfielder Shane Recklet (Shelton, CT/Shelton) earns his second straight postseason honor and freshman Philip Suprise (Milwaukee, WI/Pius XI) had a successful debut outing from the forward position. In his final year in Hamden, Recklet provided some offensive punch with two goals and one helper on the season as his five points are the squad’s fourth-best mark. On a team that saw 12 different players score goals, Suprise was the go-to guy as he amassed 16 points (tied for fifth in NEC) on seven goals (fifth in NEC) and two assists, while three of his tallies were game winners. Suprise was especially productive throughout the Conference portion of QU’s schedule as he netted six of his markers against league opponents. Earlier in the season, Suprise earned back-to-back adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week honors, the second of which was awarded following the freshman’s first collegiate hat trick that came on Oct. 9 against Bryant.

Four players from four different schools complete the 2009 all-Conference selections. FDU’s third of three honorees is sophomore defender Jason Wells (Montclair, NJ/Montclair), who helped anchor a Knight defense that rounded out the top-five on the loop in goals against average (1.19).

Long Island’s lone representative comes in the form of rookie forward Jakeem Johnson (Upper Montclair, NJ/Montclair). Johnson finished the season ranked third in the NEC with 22 points while his 10 goals were the league’s second-best mark. Three of Johnson’s goals were decisive tallies and the forward was consistently productive in both nonconference play and NEC action as he registered an even 11 points throughout each portion of LIU’s schedule.

Junior Eric Detzel (York, PA/York Central) is the Mount’s second and final all-NEC selection as the midfielder produced the squad’s second-highest point total (nine) by logging four goals and one assist.

Sacred Heart’s Nemanja Filimonovic (Belgrade, Serbia) rounds out the all-NEC second team as the midfielder paced the Pioneers with eight points on two goals and a team-best four helpers, which also share sixth place in the league.

2009 NEC Men's Soccer Award Winners

Player of the Year
Ryan Kinne          Monmouth               F    5-8   Jr.   Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck

Defensive Player of the Year
Daniel Bostock      Monmouth               D    6-3   Sr.   Nottinghamshire, England

Rookie of the Year
Dominic Reinold     Fairleigh Dickinson    F    6-2   Fr.   Wesseling, Germany

Coach of the Year 
Robert McCourt      Monmouth

2009 NEC Men's Soccer First Team All-Conference

Name                School                Pos.   Ht.   Yr   Hometown/High School
Dominic Reinold     Fairleigh Dickinson   F      6-2   Fr.  Wesseling, Germany
Ryan Kinne          Monmouth              F      5-8   Jr.  Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck
Chris Wheeler       Mount St. Mary’s      F      6-0   So.  Newcastle, Australia
Robert Cavener      Central Conn. St.     MF     6-0   Jr.  Tynemouth, England
Paul King           Fairleigh Dickinson   MF     5-11  So.  New Castle, England
Ryan Clark          Monmouth              MF     5-10  Fr.  Freehold, NJ/Freehold Twp.
Semso Nikocevic     St. Francis (NY)      MF     5-5   Sr.  Brooklyn, NY/Sheepshead Bay
Daniel Bostock      Monmouth              D      6-3   Sr.  Nottinghamshire, England
Pierre Soubrier     Quinnipiac            D      5-11  Jr.  Aurignac, France
Anthony Matos       St. Francis (NY)      D      6-2   Sr.  Wantagh, NY/Holy Cross HS
Frederick Hall      Quinnipiac            GK     6-2   Sr.  St. George, Bermuda

2009 NEC Men's Soccer Second Team All-Conference

Name                 School               Pos.  Ht.   Yr    Hometown/High School
Jakeem Johnson       Long Island          F     6-0   Fr.   Upper Montclair, NJ/Montclair
Philip Suprise       Quinnipiac           F     5-8   Fr.   Milwaukee, WI/Pius XI
John Sallhag         St. Francis (NY)     F     5-9   Jr.   Vaxjo, Sweden
Max Hamilton         Monmouth             MF    5-11  So.   Medford, NJ/Shawnee
Eric Detzel          Mount St. Mary’s     MF    6-0   Jr.   York, PA/Central York
Shane Recklet        Quinnipiac           MF    6-0   Sr.   Shelton, CT/Shelton
Nemanja Filimonovic  Sacred Heart         MF    5-8   Gr.   Belgrade, Serbia
Jason Wells          Fairleigh Dickinson  D     5-10  So.   Montclair, NJ/Montclair
RJ Allen             Monmouth             D     5-11  So.   Old Bridge, NJ/St. Joseph’s
Javier Gonzalez      St. Francis (NY)     D     6-1   Sr.   Caracas, Venezuela
Bryan Meredith       Monmouth             GK    6-2   Jr.   Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood