NAC Announces 2008 Men’s Soccer Post Season Awards

AURORA, Ill. November 13, 2008 - The Northern Athletics Conference announced its 2008 men’s soccer All-Conference and postseason awards. The Aurora University Spartan men’s soccer team placed three players on the NAC First-Team, one player on the NAC Second-Team, one player on the NAC Honorable Mention Team and three players on the All-Rookie Team.

The Spartans success on the field brought Northern Athletics Conference First-Team All-Conference honors for senior forward Chase Corricelli (Peoria, IL/Notre Dame H.S., 21 goals and eight assists), senior defender Brian Barnett (Peoria, IL/Notre Dame H.S., 1.25 goals against and eight shutouts) and junior midfielder Justin Pedersen (Carol Stream, IL/Wheaton North H.S., two goals and four assists).

Corricelli leaves AU as the career goal scoring leader with 59 and the career point’s leader with 131. He finished with 13 career assists which is good for eighth all-time. In his four years, he accounted for four of the top 12 single season goal scoring marks including the second best single season mark this year (2008) with 21 goals.

Joining in the postseason recognition as a Second-Team All-Conference selection is sophomore midfielder Mike Emma (Batavia, IL/Batavia H.S., eight goals and two assists). An All-Conference Honorable Mention selection is freshman defender Christian Foote (St. Charles, IL/St. Charles North H.S., one goal, 1.25 goals against and eight shutouts).

Three AU newcomers to the Spartan men’s soccer program were honored by the NAC as All-Rookie Team selections. Defenders, Foote, Tomasz Duda (Romeoville, IL/Bolingbrook H.S.) and Mark Forbing (Fort Wayne, IN/Nelson Snider H.S) were all part of the Spartan defense that allowed 1.25 goals per game and shutout eight opponents.

The Spartans offense was led by Corricelli, Emma and Pedersen, averaging 2.37 goals per game and 18.0 shots per game.

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