RICHMOND, Va. – The Elon University men’s soccer team had six members of the program recognized on the 2014 All-Colonial Athletic Association men’s soccer teams as announced by the league on Wednesday night, Nov. 12.
Junior midfielder Miguel Salazar headlined the group with a first team All-CAA selection. Senior goalkeeper Nathan Dean along with juniors James Brace and Nathan Diehl were added to the second team while senior Jason Waterman was a third team honoree. Freshman defender Jonathan Coleby also earned All-CAA honors after being named to the league’s All-Rookie team.
“Congratulations to Miguel, James, Nathan Dean, Nathan Diehl, Jason and Jonathan for being honored by the CAA this year,” said Elon head coach Chris Little. “The CAA is a very good league and we are very happy for these players to have been recognized for their individual performances.”
A native of Guanajuato, Mexico, Salazar has been one of the team’s top performers this season, appearing and starting all 19 games. He currently ranks third on the team in goals (three) and points (seven) and scored the game-winning goals against Loyola Marymount and Duke. Salazar also contributed to the Phoenix’s defensive success from his holding midfield position helping Elon to a conference-best nine shutouts.
Brace paces the squad in points (12) on his team-high six goals this season. The Hartlepool, England, native also leads the team with four game-winning goals, which ranks 19th in the nation. Brace netted the lone scores against Winthrop, West Virginia and triad rival High Point. He was also a 2014 Preseason All-CAA selection.
Dean played every minute between the posts and has posted a goals-against-average of 0.85 to go with single-season career high of nine clean sheets this season. The Liverpool, England, native became the program’s all-time career leader in shutouts on Oct. 11 in the Phoenix’s 5-0 win versus Northeastern. Dean received honorable mention on the 2014 All-CAA preseason teams.
Diehl received his first all-conference selection with the Phoenix after helping anchor a backline that was one of the best in the CAA. The Birmingham, Ala., native started all 19 games this season, mostly at right back. He also contributed offensively for the Phoenix with a goal and is tied for the team-lead in assists with two.
Another 2014 Preseason All-CAA selection, Waterman is second on the team in goals (four) and points (nine) this season from his striker position. The Bloomington, Ind., native scored his first goal of the season against Northeastern on Oct. 11 in Elon’s first-ever win as a member of its new league. He also had a pair of key game-winning goals on road at No. 23 UNC Wilmington and at College of Charleston in double overtime.
A starter in all 19 games this season mainly at right center back, Coleby has helped a Phoenix backline that ranked among the top two in the CAA a number of defensive categories. The Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, native also has two assists to his credit this season.
Waterman was also the Phoenix’s lone representative on the CAA All-Academic team.
First Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School Colin Bonner, UNCW# Jr. F Fulton, Md./Reservoir Guillermo Delgado, Delaware* So. F Tres Cantos, Spain/Jose Luis Sampedro Maid Memic, Hofstra* Sr. F Kozarac, Bosnia/Voss Gymnas Jamie Dell, UNCW Sr. MF Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill Joseph Holland, Hofstra So. MF London, England/Lewisham College Miguel Salazar, Elon Jr. MF Guanajuato, Mexico/Vista Grande Bjarki Aðalsteinsson, James Madison# Jr. D Kopavogur, Iceland/Menntaskolinn i Kopavogi Harri Hawkins, Hofstra So. D Cambridge, England/Chesterton Tobias Muller, Delaware Sr. D Steinfurt, Germany/Bunsen Gymnasium Jacob VanCompernolle, UNCW* Sr. D Dallas, Texas/R.L. Turner Borja Barbero, Delaware* Sr. GK Valladolid, Spain/Apostolado
Second Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School Josh Grant, James Madison# Sr. F Plymouth, England/Torpoint College Frantzdy Pierrot, Northeastern Fr. F Melrose, Mass./Seacoast United Development Acad. James Brace, Elon Jr. MF Hartlepool, England/High Tunstall Joe Dipre, Delaware Jr. MF Betchworth, England/London Freemen’s School John Grosh, Drexel Sr. MF Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township David Sizemore, UNCW# Sr. MF Fuquay-Varina, N.C./Fuquay-Varina Simon Cox, Northeastern* Sr. D London, England/Fullbrook School Nathan Diehl, Elon Jr. D Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook Ambry Moss, Northeastern% Sr. D Nassau, Bahamas/The Pendleton School Michael Teiman, William & Mary Sr. D Liverpool, England/Liverpool College Nathan Dean, Elon Sr. GK Liverpool, England/Rainhill
Third Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School Nico Rittmeyer, College of Charleston So. F Savannah, Ga./Savannah Country Day Jason Waterman, Elon Sr. F Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North Chris Albiston, William & Mary% Sr. MF Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox Jonathan Barden, James Madison Sr. MF Harrow, England/Park Elliott Firth, Hofstra% Sr. MF Sheffield, England/Penistone Grammar School Brad Fountain, Northeastern Fr. MF Southampton, England Troy Peterson, College of Charleston Sr. MF Federal Way, Wash./Todd Beamber Mark Harris, UNCW Sr. D Durham, N.C./C.E. Jordan Robert Liberatore, Drexel% Sr. D Cary, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons Ignacio Martin, Delaware% Sr. D La Laguna, Spain/The British School of Tenerife Kyle Morton, James Madison So. GK West Chester, Pa./Reed Henderson
2014 CAA Player of the Year: Guillermo Delgado, Delaware
2014 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob VanCompernolle, UNCW
2014 CAA Rookie of the Year: Frantzdy Pierrot, Northeastern
2014 CAA Coach of the Year: Aidan Heaney, UNCW
* – All-CAA First Team in 2013
# – All-CAA Second Team in 2013
% – All-CAA Third Team in 2013
2014 CAA Men’s Soccer All-Rookie Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/High School Toby Appleton, James Madison Fr. D Cheshire, England Leland Archer, College of Charleston Fr. D Port of Spain, Trinidad/Fatima College Jonathan Coleby, Elon Fr. D Middlesbrough, United Kingdom/Trinity Catholic Coll. Danny Elliott, Hofstra Fr. F Nottingham, England/West Bridgford Comprehensive William Eskay, William & Mary Fr. MF Urbana, Md./Urbana Brad Fountain, Northeastern Fr. MF Southampton, England Thibault Philippe, Delaware So. MF Saint-Brienc, France/Lycee Notre-dame Guingamp Frantzdy Pierrot, Northeastern Fr. F Melrose, Mass./Seacoast United Development Acad. Brayden Smith, UNCW Fr. D Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth Mani Walcott, Hofstra Fr. MF Beltsville, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt
2014 CAA Men’s Soccer All-Academic Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School Daniel Arvidsson, Northeastern Fr.-R MF Sao Paulo, Brazil/American School of The Hague Erik Clark, College of Charleston So. MF Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando Alex Harrington, William & Mary Sr. GK Arlington, Va./Bishop O’Connell Robert Liberatore, Drexel Sr. D Cary, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons Patric Pray, Hofstra Jr. GK Chandler, Ariz./Corona Del Sol Ben Sampson, Delaware Jr. MF Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury Jamal Umar, James Madison Sr. F Herndon, Va./Chantilly Jacob VanCompernolle, UNCW Sr. D Dallas, Texas/R.L. Turner Jason Waterman, Elon Sr. F Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North