Fourth year defender Max Maund from Courtenay, B.C. was named an AUS first team all-star, while second year midfielder Randy Ribeiro from Cambridge, Ont. was named an AUS second team all-star. It is Ribeiro's first recognition as a conference all-star while the veteran Maund was named an all-star for the fourth consecutive season.
The awards were announced at the awards banquet in Charlottetown in conjunction with the 2012 Subway AUS men's soccer championship. The complete awards release follows.
2012 AUS Men's Soccer Awards and All-Stars Announced
SMU's Derek Gaudet named AUS player of the year
November 1, 2012 (CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I.) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2012 men's soccer all-stars and major award winners as selected by the conference's ten head coaches following regular season play.
Third-year Saint Mary's Huskies midfielder Derek Gaudet was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player, Thursday night.
Other AUS major award winners announced during the awards banquet hosted by the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, P.E.I., were Acadia's Andrew Snyder of Bridgewater, N.S., who was named rookie of the year; Mount Allison's Chris Vizena of Osgoode, Ont., who received the student-athlete community service award; and UNB head coach Miles Pinsent who took home the AUS coach of the year award for the second time in his career.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Derek Gaudet, Saint Mary's
Derek Gaudet, a third-year midfielder with the CIS No. 7-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies, has been named the Atlantic University Sport men's soccer player of the year.
Gaudet, who tied for the league lead in scoring with seven goals in 13 games this season, was also honoured Thursday with his first career all-star selection.
Derek was named the player of the game in four of SMU's games this season, recorded a team-high 23 shots on goal from his midfield position and also tied for the AUS lead in game-winning markers with three.
"Derek is a very talented player who can change the outcome of a game very quickly through his outstanding skills or very quick thinking." says Saint Mary's head coach Stewart Galloway.
This is the eighth time since 1983 that a Saint Mary's player has been honoured with the Atlantic conference's player of the year award.
Gaudet will now represent the Atlantic conference as the league's nominee for the Joe Johnson Memorial Trophy as the CIS player of the year.
UPEI's Ryan Anstey (2005) and SMU's Mesut Mert (2003 and 2001) are the most recent Atlantic University Sport players to win the national award.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Andrew Snyder, Acadia
Acadia's Andrew Snyder, a 6-foot-0 defender midfielder from Bridgewater, N.S., has been chosen by the coaches as the 2012 Atlantic University Sport rookie of the year.
Snyder started in all 13 of Acadia's regular season games this year and was credited with six shots on goal from his centre back position.
"For a first year player playing in a centre back position, Andrew has been outstanding, and probably our most valuable player," says Acadia head coach Findlay MacRae. "He has had an exceptional freshman season and plays with the confidence and ability of a more experienced player. He is a very deserving recipient of this award."
Snyder, also named a second team AUS all-star Thursday, becomes the fourth Acadia player to be named AUS rookie of the year and the first to do so in over 20 years. Mike Cino (1991), Scott Bennett (1990) and Brian Duguay (1989) are the most recent Axemen to have won this award.
UNB's John Fish in 2004 and Dalhousie's Simon Richardson in 2001 are the only Atlantic University Sport players to be named CIS rookie of the year.
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Chris Vizena, Mount Allison
Chris Vizena, a right back player from Osgoode, Ont., is the 2012 AUS student-athlete community service award recipient.
A senior in biology and biochemistry, Vizena is completing his Bachelor of Science degree while majoring in global health and minoring in psychology. With a cumulative GPA over 3.7, Vizena still finds time in his busy schedule to play soccer for the Mounties, serve generously for world health, do research, tutor, volunteer, coach, teach, and give back to his community.
Vizena has played in every game and has been an Academic all-Canadian each year since arriving at Mount Allison. He has served his team, university, and community in many ways over his four seasons in Sackville.
In addition to travelling with and serving as a participant and Mount Allison branch executive of the world's largest student-led global health organization, Global Brigades, Vizena's "to do" list is a long one. To mention a few, this past year alone he was chairman of the University Athletic Affairs Committee, executive member with both the Psychology Society and Mounties in Motion, coach of a U-14 boys soccer team, a tutor for countless students, labs, and classes, a mentor and friend to both international students, hospital-bound seniors, disadvantaged youth, and middle-school kids.
Chris also found time to be a research assistant, a campus tour guide and an active participant in numerous charity and leadership events such as Relay for Life, Shinerama, and Leadership Mount Allison.
Vizena's character and work ethic has provided him with the opportunity to serve the community, excel in the classroom, and support his University and soccer team in every positive way possible.
Mounties' soccer coach, Roy Chineh says, "With a big heart, Chris works hard through it all, and as a generous contributor he quietly provides selfless service to our team and community every day he plays, learns, and works here."
Vizena becomes the third Mount Allison recipient of the men's soccer community service award, joining Curtis Michaelis (2008) and Stuart McAdam, who won the AUS award in 2011 and also took home the CIS honour.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Miles Pinsent, UNB
UNB head coach Miles Pinsent has been selected by his peers as the 2012 AUS men's soccer coach of the year.
After missing the post-season for the first time in his career in 2011, the Varsity Reds rebounded impressively to finish first overall in the conference in 2012 with a record of 9-3-1, including eight consecutive shutout victories to end the regular season.
It is the first time since 2008 that UNB has finished in top spot in the AUS standings and the second time Pinsent has been honoured with this award. He was previously named a co-recipient of the coach of the year award in 2003. Miles, a former technical coordinator with Soccer New Brunswick and the Fredericton District Soccer Association, was also named the AUS women's coach of the year in 1995.
Pinsent, who is in his 10th year as head coach of the men's program, now has a career regular season record of 62-34-31. The nine wins by his V-Reds squad this season are also the most of any UNB team he has coached.
"Miles has done such an outstanding job with our program," says UNB Director of Athletics John Richard. "After missing the playoffs last season for the first time in his career, and getting off to a 1-3-1 start this fall; he stayed true to what he believed in and has got his student-athletes focused and believing at the right time. He is so passionate and dedicated to his student-athletes, his soccer team and our V-Reds program."
StFX's Graham Kennedy (2010) and Dalhousie's Pat Nearing (2008) are the most recent AUS recipients of the CIS coach of the year award.
FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
The AUS first and second team all-stars were also announced Thursday. They are as follows:
First Team All-Stars:
Striker - Jimmie Mayaleh, UPEI (5th year, Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
Striker - Jared Murphy, UPEI (4th year, Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
Striker - Zach Shaffelburg, Acadia (3rd year, Port Williams, N.S.)
Midfielder - Derek Gaudet, Saint Mary's (3rd year, Bayside, N.S)
Midfielder - Jason Massie, Cape Breton (4th year, Rainhill, England)
Midfielder - Benjamin Law, UNB (4th year, Ottawa, Ont.)
Defender - Kerry Weymann, Dalhousie (4th year, Vancouver, B.C.)
Defender - Max Maund, StFX (4th year, Courtenay, B.C.)
Defender - Shawn Kodejs, Saint Mary's (4th year, Halifax, N.S.)
Defender - Sandro Rajkovic, Cape Breton (2nd year, Hamilton, Ont.)
Keeper - Adam Miller, Saint Mary's (3rd year, Swindon, England)
Second Team All-Stars:
Striker - Bezick Evraire, Dalhousie (2nd year, Ottawa, Ont.)
Striker - Shayne Hollis, Cape Breton (5th year, Baileys Bay, Bermuda)
Midfielder - Andrew Rigby, Cape Breton (4th year, Wollaton, England)
Midfielder - Danny Bachar, Saint Mary's (3rd year, Dartmouth, N.S.)
Midfielder - Jason Bessey, UNB (5th year, Goosebay, Nfld.)
Midfielder - Randy Ribeiro, StFX (2nd year, Cambridge, Ont.)
Defender - Andrew Snyder, Acadia (1st year, Bridgewater, N.S.)
Defender - Philippe Goguen, Moncton (5th year, Moncton, N.B.)
Defender - Nathan Rogers, Dalhousie (4th year, Calgary, Alta.)
Defender - Roderick Ramsden, UNB (5th year, Ottawa, Ont.)
Keeper - Aaron McMurray, UNB (3rd year, London, Ont.)
The 2012 Subway Atlantic University Sport Men's Soccer Championship will be hosted by the University of Prince Edward Island, November 2-4, 2012.
The championship schedule is as follows:
Friday, November 2nd
Quarter-final #1: Moncton (4th) vs. Dalhousie (5th), 3:00pm
Quarter-final #2: Cape Breton (3rd) vs. UPEI (6th), 6:00pm
Saturday, November 3rd
Semifinal #1: UNB (1st) vs. Lowest Remaining Seed, 2:00pm
Semifinal #2: Saint Mary’s (2nd) vs. Highest Remaining Seed, 5:00pm
Sunday, November 4th
Championship Game: Semifinal Winners, 2:00pm
*Note: All games of the championship will be available via webcast, live at www.AUStv.ca.
The Atlantic University Sport conference receives two berths at 2012 CIS Men's Soccer Championship, November 8-11, 2012, hosted by Laval.
The AUS champion will qualify and the AUS championship runner-up will receive the second rotational berth.