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Nov. 11, 2008

DALLAS, Texas – Conference USA announced its 2008 all-conference first, second and third teams, all-freshman team and postseason award winners for men’s soccer today, as selected by the conference’s nine head coaches. The awards are announced one day before the start of the 14th Annual C-USA Championship, which is scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 12-16, at Westcott Field on the campus of SMU. Eight South Carolina student-athletes garnered awards, as sophomore strikers Sam Arthur and Blake Brettschneider were selected to the first team, while junior midfielder Jeff Scannella earned second-team honors alongside junior defender Tyler Ruthven and sophomore goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. Junior defender Mark Wiltse earned third-team honors and freshman midfielders David MacVane and Stephen Morrissey were selected to the all-freshman squad.

Tulsa’s Tom McIntosh was named the Coach of the Year, while Golden Huricane striker Ashley McInnes earned the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award and teammate Austin Neil was named the Freshman of the Year. Kentucky’s Barry Rice was named the Defensive Player of the Year, while teammate Marco dos Santos earned the Newcomer of the Year award.

A first time All-C-USA honoree, Arthur led the league during the regular season with 11 goals and 25 points in overall games. He also contributed three assists, 49 shots and six game-winning goals. The Roswell, Ga., native collected two goals in conference play, both game winners, while also contributing one assist. Arthur ranked in the top 25 national statistics throughout the season, while earning conference and national player of the week honors.

Joining Arthur on the first team is Brettschneider, who led the Gamecocks during C-USA play with three goals. He contributed a total of five on the year. Brettschneider tallied goals in back-to-back contests against FIU and SMU to open league play in early October. He concluded the regular season with 25 shots, including 19 on frame. Brettschneider was a 2007 All-Freshman Team honoree.

Maurer earned second-team honors for the second-consecutive season. He paced the Gamecock defense during the regular season, collecting a 0.77 goals against average and eight shutouts in overall games. He earned a 0.79 goals against average in conference games, while collecting three shutouts. Maurer tallied at least three saves in every match this season, including a season-high eight against North Carolina. He garnered four C-USA Defensive Player of the Week awards to tie for the most C-USA weekly honors in a single season.

Joining Maurer on the second team was Scannella, who has garnered All-C-USA honors every year of his career. He contributed one assist, while posting seven shots during league play this season. He concluded the regular season with two goals, including one game winner, and two assists. Scannella was a 2007 first-team honoree, while he earned third-team and all-freshman honors and was named the Freshman of the Year in 2006.

Ruthven is the final Gamecock to be selected to the second team. He anchored a defensive line that allowed just seven goals during conference play and 14 overall. The squad collected a league-best eight shutouts on the year, including three in C-USA play.

Wiltse, the lone Carolina selection to the third team, also played a crucial role on the Gamecock defensive line that collected eight shutouts this season. He also contributed seven shots, including five in league action. Wiltse has garnered All-C-USA honors every year of his career, as he was selected to the third team in 2007, and joined Scannella on the all-freshman team in 2006.

MacVane and Morrissey were selected to the all-freshman squad, marking the third-straight season that South Carolina has had two selections to the team. MacVane contributed a total of four assists on the year, posting 11 shots, while Morrissey contributed one goal and one assist.

2008 C-USA MEN’S SOCCER SPECIALTY AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year
Ashley McInnes, F, Tulsa

Defensive Player of the Year
Barry Rice, D, Kentucky

Freshman of the Year
Austin Neil, F, Tulsa

Newcomer of the Year
Marco dos Santos, F, Kentucky

Coach of the Year
Tom McIntosh, Tulsa

2008 C-USA MEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
All-Conference First Team
F: Juan Guerra, FIU
F: Sam Arthur, South Carolina
F: Blake Brettschneider, South Carolina

MF: Jason Griffiths, Kentucky
MF: Joe Salem, Tulsa
MF: Two-Boys Gumede, UAB
MF: Kevan George, UCF
D: Barry Rice, Kentucky
D: Michael Coburn, Memphis
D: Chris Taylor, Tulsa
GK: Tyrel Lacey, Tulsa

All-Conference Second Team
F: Paulo da Silva, SMU
F: Ashley McInnes, Tulsa
F: Austin Neil, Tulsa
MF: Ariel Osorio, SMU
MF: Jeff Harwell, SMU
MF: Leone Cruz, SMU
MF: Jeff Scannella, South Carolina
D: Tyler Ruthven, South Carolina

D: Chris Clements, Tulsa
D: Ryan Roushandel, UCF
GK: Jimmy Maurer, South Carolina

All-Conference Third Team
F: Sterling Flunder, Marshall
F: Parker Duncan, Memphis
F: Jose Parada, Tulsa
MF: Masumi Turnbull, Kentucky
MF: Jira Cooley, Marshall
MF: Trey Gergory, UAB
MF: Michal Mrevec, UAB
D: Philip Fisher, FIU
D: Mark Wiltse, South Carolina
D: Dean Sorrell, UAB
GK: Dan Williams, Kentucky

All-Freshman Team
Marc Lyon, D, FIU
Brad Walker, D, Kentucky
Jordan Hilgefort, D, Marshall
Parker Duncan, F, Memphis
Diego De Almeida, MF, SMU
Arthur Ivo, F, SMU
David MacVane, MF, South Carolina
Stephen Morrissey, MF, South Carolina

Austin Neil, F, Tulsa
Justin Chavez, D, Tulsa
Andrew Barsalona, MF, UAB
Kevan George, MF, UCF