Blue Hens O’Connor and Frimpong Named to CAA Preseason Men’s Soccer Team
August 22, 2011
File Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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RICHMOND, Va. -- With the regular season set to kickoff this Friday, the University of Delaware men’s soccer team had two players named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association Preseason team announced Monday.
Despite being selected to finish 11th in a poll of the league’s coaches, Blue Hens Darren O’Connor and Evans Frimpong were named to the pre-season team, as voted by the conference’s coaches. Delaware was the only school to land multiple players on the team.
Hofstra University’s Shaun Foster was voted as the Pre-season Player of the Year, coming off a season in which he was named Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
The team’s forwards were Gideon Asante (Old Dominion), Olakunle Banjo (Towson), and Mike Kennedy (Northeastern).
Both O’Connor and Frimpong were named to the 2010 All-CAA team, with Frimpong on the second team and O’Connor on the third team.
“I'm delighted for both Evans and Darren that they have been recognized once again by the conference,” said Delaware head coach Ian Hennessy. “They are terrific young men who have merited their recognition in one of the nation’s top conferences as two of the league's better players.”
Frimpong, a native of Accra Ghana, leads a midfield team comprised of Nicolas Abrigo (William & Mary), Daniel Roberts (UNC Wilmington) and Paul Wyatt (James Madison).
O’Connor, (above at right) who hails from Cork, Ireland, was one of three backs on the team and was joined by Eric Zuehsow (George Mason) and Vincent Foermer (Georgia State).
Named to the honorable mention team were Ben Anderson (William & Mary), Don Anding (Northeastern), Ryan Gracia (George Mason), Chris Harmon, (Old Dominion), Christian Hofer (Towson), Jason Johnson (VCU), Jordan LeBlanc, (Old Dominion), Brandon Miller (UNC Wilmington), Nathan Page (Drexel) and Roshan Patel (William & Mary).
Frimpong, (below at left) who started 17 games last season, is Delaware’s top returning scorer from last season, putting up three goals and tallying an assist for seven points. He was the leading shooter, taking 57 attempts, including 18 on goal. Frimpong made good on his one penalty kick attempt, doing so at #25 James Madison.
A 15-game starter last year, O’Connor tallied one goal while taking just 14 shots. As a back, O’Connor helped the team log six shutouts, including the final three games of the regular season. O’Connor was a key anchor to a defensive unit that allowed just five goals in the first half for an entire season.
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The two Blue Hens will look to lead a team that reached the CAA playoffs last season for the first time since Delaware joined the conference in 2001. It also marked the first time Delaware reached the post-season since 1996 when it was a member of the America East Conference.
After a slow start to 2010, the Hens finished 6-9-3, but went 5-4-2 in the league. Home field advantage was big for the Hens last year as they went undefeated and untied at home in league play.
Hennessy begins his sixth season at the helm of the program on Friday when the Hens host the Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts. The game is set for 1 p.m. at Delaware Mini-Stadium.
Agate:
2011 PRESEASON ALL-CAA MEN’S SOCCER TEAM
Player, School Pos. Year Hometown
Gideon Asante, Old Dominion F So. Sunyani, Ghana
Olakunle Banjo, Towson F So. Upper Marlboro, Md.
Mike Kennedy, Northeastern F Sr. Lynnfield, Mass.
Nicolas Abrigo, William & Mary M Sr. South Riding, Va.
Evans Frimpong, Delaware M Sr. Accra, Ghana
Daniel Roberts, UNC Wilmington M Sr. Sugar Land, Texas
Paul Wyatt, James Madison M Jr. Modbury, England
Shaun Foster, Hofstra D So. Southport, England
Darren O’Connor, Delaware D Sr. Cork, Ireland
Eric Zuehsow, George Mason D Sr. Ashburn, Va.
Vincent Foermer, Georgia State GK Jr. Seevetal, Germany
Honorable Mention: Ben Anderson, MF, William & Mary; Don Anding, F, Northeastern; Ryan Gracia, MF, George Mason; Chris Harmon, MF, Old Dominion; Christian Hofer, D, Towson; Jason Johnson, F, VCU; Jordan LeBlanc, MF, Old Dominion; Brandon Miller, GK, UNC Wilmington; Nathan Page, MF, Drexel; Roshan Patel, D, William & Mary
Preseason CAA Men’s Soccer Player of the Year: Shaun Foster, Hofstra
