2012 NSCAA Players of the Year
Men's NCAA Division II | Division III | NAIA | NCCAA Division I | Division II |
Junior College Division I | Division III | College Scholar POY
High School Boys | Youth Boys | High School Scholar POY
Women's NCAA Division II | Division III | NAIA | NCCAA Division I | Division II |
Junior College Division I | Division III | College Scholar POY
High School Girls | Youth Girls | High School Scholar POY
Men's National Players of the Year
NCAA Division II - Zach Myers, Saginaw Valley State
Senior Forward; Grand Rapids, Mich.
Was named first team All-GLIAC and second team All-Region...selected as GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year...was also a part of the NSCAA Men's Collegiate Scholar All-American third team as a Junior. This season he has accumulated 17 goals and 2 assists, including 6 Game Winning Goals.
NCAA Division III - Jeremy Payne, Messiah College
Sophomore Midfielder; Middleburg, Pa.
Payne was named First Team Mid-Atlantic All-Region and First Team All-American this year, with both honors being the first of his young career. Undoubtedly one of the toughest matchups in all of NCAA Division III men's soccer, Payne led the Falcons in both goals (17) and points (44). His 10 assists also tied him with Joshua Wood and Brian Ramirez for the second-most on Messiah's team. Playing with a dynamic skill set and strong, athletic frame, Payne was named the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year this season. Standing at 6'2”, he proved to be an extremely challenging mark for opposing defenses.
NAIA - Stephen Okai, University of Mobile
Senior Midfielder; Accra, Ghana
The three-time NAIA All-American posted 29 points, 10 goals and 9 assists on the season and was also named SSAC Player of the Year. He posted a three-assist game versus Florida Memorial and two multi-goal games on the season. Named a 1st-Team All-American this season and in 2010, Okai was a 2nd-Team honoree in 2011. He finishes his Mobile career with 20 goals and 26 assists for 66 points.
NCCAA Division I - Carlos Figueroa, California Baptist University
Senior Defender; Beaumont, Calif.
A two-time All-American (NAIA and NCCAA), Carlos Figueroa started all 20 of his appearances as a 2012 senior at right back for a CBU team that finished 16-5-2 overall and won its second straight NCCAA National Championship. Figueroa anchored a defensive unit that led the Pacific West Conference allowing a season-low 19 goals and a 0.80 goals against average, the Lancers’ fourth straight season allowing less than 20 goals. CBU also posted a school-record 10 shutouts for the third straight year. Figueroa also scored once (a game-winner) and assisted on another.
NCCAA Division II - Jacob Persson, Moody Bible Institute
Sophomore Forward; Sherwood, Ark.
Jacob Persson, is a sophomore, 2nd year player for Moody Bible Institute from Sherwood, Arkansas. Jacob helped lead Moody Bible Institute, 18-2, to its fourth NCCAA Division II men’s soccer national championship in the school’s history (1994, 2001, 2011, 2012) and second in a row. In addition to being named the NCCAA DII Men’s Soccer Player of the Year, Jacob was an NCCAA DII Men’s Soccer Student Athlete of the Week for October 15, 2012, he was the Men’s Soccer Player of the Year in the NCCAA DII Midwest Region, and he was named to NCCAA II National Championship All-Tournament Team, as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Jacob appeared in 20 games and scored 34 goals and recorded 8 assists, including the assist during the 1-0 victory in the National Championship game. Jacob led the country for NCCAA DII in total goals and points for the season.** Jacob now has 60 goals and 15 assists in his 2 seasons at Moody Bible Institute.
Junior College Division I - Casey Osborne, Tyler Junior College
Sophomore Defender; Atlanta, Ga.
Casey Osborne had 4 goals and 4 assts while playing as a centerback on Tyler Junior Colleges 2012 National Championship team. Casey anchored a defense that allowed 1 goal from through 7 National playoff games and allowed 11 goals on the season. Casey as a freshman was named All Region and 1st team NSCAA All American in 2012. He was also named MVP of the Mens Junior College Division 1 soccer Tournament.
Junior College Division III - Korab Syla, Herkimer County CC
Sophomore Midfielde; Yonkers, N.Y.
Senior midfilder Korab Syla (Yonkers, NY) recorded 6 goals and 21 assists this season leading Herkimer County Community College to a 20-2-0 record and the NJCAA National Championship. He captained the Generals to back to back Region III and NJCAA National title’s which was the school’s 8th NJCAA National Championship. Syla had 6 assists in post season play including the game winning assist in the Region III final, National Quarter-final and National Semi-final. He was named to the all-tournament team in both the Region III and National tournaments. Syla was named first team All-Mountain Valley, All-Region III, NSCAA All-East and NSCAA All-America. He carries a 3.40 GPA in General Studies and is a member of the Faculty Student Association.
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High School Boys - Ema Boateng, Cate School (Calif.)
Junior Midfielder; Carpinteria, Calif.
As a player, Ema has been the most dominant force in Southern California soccer for the past couple of years. He was the best skilled, most complete player on the field regardless of the competition. After our last game Ema's freshman year--a disappointing loss in the CIF playoffs, Ema turned to us and said, "Don't worry, we are going to win a CIF Championship before I graduate." We won it his sophomore year and then Ema doubled down on his promise and we won it again his junior year, rising as high at No. 11 nationally in the ESPN Rise polls. He finished his junior year with 32 goals and 20 assists. Ema would rarely shoot when we were up by four or more goals (if he was even in the game at that point)--such is the nature of his sense of sportsmanship. His awards include: Southern California Division 7 Player of the Year (2010-12), California Player of the Year (2012), MVP of the Premier Section in the 2011 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland and Gatorade National Boys High School Player of the Year 2011-2012.
Youth Boys - Paul Arriola, Arsenal FC
Forward; Chula Vista, Calif.
Scholar All-America Player of the Year
College - Scott Caldwell, Akron
Senior, Braintree, Mass.
Major: Accounting
Hermann Trophy semifinalist ... Mid-American Conference Player of the Year ... named to Top Drawer Soccer's Team of the Season First Team ... rated the No. 7 upperclassman in the nation, accoring to Top Drawer Soccer, as of Oct. 3 ... named team captain for the second consecutive season ... also one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award ... named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team for the second straight year with a GPA of 3.94 as an accounting major ... All-MAC First Team ... started all 22 matches at midfield ... finished with a career-high nine goals and a team-leading 10 assists
Junior College - TBA
High School - Brandon Hudik, Bordentown Regional High School (N.J.)
Named 2012 NSCAA High School All-American and All-Region, Hudik earned all-state honors for the third consecutive year. He also was named South New Jersey defender of the year this past season.
Women's National Players of the Year
NCAA Division II - Chelsea Palmer, University of West Florida
Junior Forward; Plano, Texas
National champion University of West Florida’s Chelsea Palmer led NCAA Division II in assists (19) and assists per game (0.76) while finishing second in total points (51). Palmer recorded 2.14 points per game in seven postseason matches and scored the game-winning goal in the NCAA Semifinals vs. Saint Rose on Nov. 29 and in the NCAA Finals vs. UC San Diego on Dec. 1 on her way to being named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player. The junior was named to the NSCAA All-American First Team, Daktronics All-American Second Team and the All-Gulf South Conference First Team. Palmer played a role in every goal during the Argos' 13-game winning streak to finish the season.
NCAA Division III - Alexandra Brandt, Messiah College
Senior Midfielder; Annapolis, Md.
As a midfielder, Brandt finishes her career with 36 goals and 35 career assists, with her 35 assists good for fourth all-time in Messiah history. Considering that she played only three years with the Falcons after transferring from Division I University of Central Florida (UCF), Brandt's on-field achievements seem only more impressive. In 18 career NCAA Tournament games with Messiah, Brandt collected seven goals and eight assists for 22 points. Narrow that study to just NCAA Final Four games, and Brandt's numbers get even more impressive: six total games, two goals, and four assists. Both of her goals in the Final Four were game-winners, against William Smith in 2010 and 2011. This year, she was voted First Team All American, First Team All Region, and the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year.
NAIA - Mia Persson, Lindsey Wilson College
Senior Midfielder; Sjobo, Sweden
Mia is a senior from Sjobo, Sweden who has started since her freshman year. She holds the all time scoring record, as well as all time points record for the women’s program. With a 3.89 GPA, she has excelled in the classroom as well as on the field. This season she was voted the 2012 NAIA Player of the year, and the National Tournament’s most valuable player. She is also a 4 time NAIA All American, 2 time Conference Player of Year, and 4 time First-Team All Conference selection.
NCCAA Division I - Bernadette Witz, California Baptist
Junior Midfielder; Temecula, Calif.
The 2012 Pacific West Conference Player of the Year, Bernadette Witz started all 21 games in the center of the CBU midfield in helping the Lancers to an 18-2-1 mark, tying the program record for wins, and a second straight NCCAA National Championship. Witz, a junior, scored a career-high 14 goals and assisted on three others for 31 points. Six of her goals were game-winners, five of those in conference games and another in the NCCAA West Regional Final. She had two multi-goal games.
NCCAA Division II - Tori Hale, Clearwater Christian College
Sophomore Forward; St. Petersburg, Fla.
A junior forward in her first season at Clearwater Christian College, Tori managed to 26 goals and 10 assists in 20 games, leading her team to a 15-2-0 record. This year she has been voted NCCAA National Player of the week, as well as the women’s student athlete of the week. This season, she was the nations leading goalscorer for NCCAA DII, which includes her Game Winning Goal in the National Championship game against defending champion Baptist Bible College. Other late honors include being a member of the NCCAA DII All-Tournament team.
Junior College Division I - Jessica DeLeon, Paradise Valley Community College
Named to the NJCAA Women's Division 1 Soccer All-American team ... Set a school record for assists in a season with 24 earned first team All-American honors.
Junior College Division III - Daisy Cardona, Ventura College (Calif.)
Earned the Western State Conference North Division Most Valuable Player award for 2012 as voted upon by conference coaches. Cardona capped off her career by joining fellow alumnae Jaz Strozier and Sienna Kluck-Escoto as the program’s only members of the 100 career point club. She is the team’s 11th MVP in the 17 year history of the program. Last week she was also named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-West Region team and has been nominated for All-American honors. She was also chosen by her teammates as the Most Valuable Offensive Player.
High School Girls - Morgan Andrews, Milford High School (N.H.)
Senior Midfielder; Milford, N.H.
Captain of the U.S. Under-17 Women's World Cup team ... Scored the only two goals for her team in a state high school championship soccer game to lift it past its biggest rival ... Named the October Athlete of the Month as voted on by the New Hampshire Union Leader Board of Judges ... Named NSCAA High School Player of the Week Nov. 14 ... Committed to play at Notre Dame next season.
Youth Girls - Carolyn Jane Campbell, Concorde Fire SC
Goalkeeper; Kennesaw, Ga.
U17and U23 National Training Camp - 2011, U16 Region III Germany/Paris Trip- 2011 ... U15 National Training Camp 2010, U15 Costa Rica Interregional Tournament-2010 ... Region III ODP Goalkeeper- 08’-11’; Georgia 95 ODP Keeper - ’08-11’
Scholar All-America Player of the Year
College - Ashley Botts, Grand Valley State
Senior, Biomedical Sciences
Beloit, Wis.
Earned NSCAA All-America first team honors and Daktronics, Inc. All-America second team honors ... named to the NSCAA Midwest Region first team ... earned a spot on the Daktronics, Inc. Midwest region first team ... All-GLIAC first team selection ... started 23 of 25 games played ... owned a team-high 41 points off of 18 goals and five assists ... her season point total ranked ninth in the nation, while her 18 goals was good for eighth ... also ranked eighth in game-winning goals ... notched six game-winning goals and five two-goal game
Junior College - TBA
High School - Margaret Purce, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (Md.)
Senior; Olney, Md.
A three-time NSCAA All-America selection (including 2012), Purce closed out one of the most-decorated careers in Washington, D.C., high school history by scoring 27 goals in 15 games. Purce also capped the season by netting a pair of goals in the conference final match to give the Falcons their third conference crown in four years. She finished her career with a school-record 101 goals, and is only the second player ever to be named fall girls' soccer all-conference player of the year twice. A member of the U.S. team that won the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship in Guatemala and qualified for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, she played in three games, starting all three … Was the USA’s second leading scorer in CONCACAF qualifying with three goals, all coming against the Bahamas … Attended one training camp with the U.S. U-15s in 2011 and that earned her a first call-up to the U-17s.