Five men’s soccer players earn NSCAA All-Central Region honors

GOLDEN, Colo. – Five players from the Colorado School of Mines men’s soccer team have earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Central Region honors as announced by the NSCAA.

Tesho Akindele, Alex Nass, Manville Strand and Chike Sullivan were named to the First Team. Trevor Braun earned Second Team honors.

Akindele, a freshman forward from Thornton, Colo. (Northglenn H.S.), garnered Daktronics First Team All-American honors. The 2010 RMAC Freshman of the Year was also unanimous First Team All-RMAC selection. Akindele led the RMAC in goals (19), points (45) and game-winning goals (tied – 5) in his first season at Mines. A First Team Daktronics All-Region selection, Akindele recorded three consecutive hat tricks this season becoming the first men’s soccer player to accomplish that feat in the RMAC. His 19 goals established a new single-season program record. Akindele currently ranks in the top ten among Division II players in points per game, total points, total goals and points per game.

Nass, a sophomore midfielder from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil (Poudre H.S.), garnered Second Team All-RMAC honors. A Daktronics Second Team All-Region selection, Nass finished the season with seven assists which ranks fifth in the RMAC and four goals.

Strand, a sophomore goalkeeper from Las Vegas, Nev., (Spring Valley H.S.), was named Daktronics Honorable Mention All-American. A Daktronics First Team All-Region pick, Strand led the conference in goals against average (0.64), save percentage (.819) and ranked second in shutouts (8) during the 2010 season. A Second Team All-RMAC pick, Strand currently ranks seventh in Division II among goalkeepers in goals against average.

Sullivan, a junior midfielder from San Juan, Trinidad & Tobago (St. George’s College), earned Daktronics First Team All-American honors. Sullivan earned Daktronics First Team All-Central Region honors and was a unanimous First Team All-RMAC selection in 2010. Sullivan led the RMAC in assists (11), ranked fourth in points (33) and fifth in goals (11). Among Division II players, Sullivan currently ranks sixth in total assists.

Braun, a senior defender from Litchfield Park, Ariz. (Millennium H.S.), helped anchor the top ranked defense in the RMAC. The CSM defense ranked first in goals allowed (14), goals against average (0.65) and shutouts (12). Among DII teams, Mines ranks fourth in shutout percentage (0.57) and eighth in goals against average. Braun, who scored one goal, played in 17 matches drawing 16 starts during the 2010 season.

The third-ranked Orediggers finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 17-2-2. Mines made its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, third in program history, and won its first-ever NCAA Tournament game against Regis University (5-1). CSM also claimed both the RMAC regular-season and tournament titles.