Horizon League Announces Men's Soccer Award Winners

INDIANAPOLIS – Butler University senior Ben Sippola has been named Horizon League Men’s Soccer Player of the Year, while Butler junior Matt Hedges has earned Defensive Player of the Year accolades.  Detroit junior Ya Ya Toure was selected the Newcomer of the Year, while Cleveland State goalkeeper Brad Stuver was voted Goalkeeper of the Year.

After leading Butler to its first undefeated regular season, head coach Kelly Findley was a unanimous selection for Coach of the Year, garnering eight of nine votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for members of their team).  The Bulldogs enter the Horizon League Tournament with a 15-0-2 mark, making them one of two unbeaten teams left in Division I.

In voting conducted of the League’s coaches, Sippola edged Green Bay’s JC Banks for both Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year accolades.  The senior controlled the midfield for the Bulldogs, pacing the League in assists (9) while finishing second in points (23).  Sippola’s seven goals tied for fourth in the Horizon League.

Sippola’s teammate Hedges picked up his second straight Defensive Player of the Year honor, this one coming in unanimous form.  Helping Butler allow just four goals in eight League matches, Hedges also chipped in with four game-winning goals in the 2010 regular season.

Toure was among the League’s most dynamic offensive players in his first year with the Titans, finishing the regular season with eight goals and 18 points; his performance helped Detroit leap from an eighth-place finish in 2009 to a No. 5 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Men’s Soccer Tournament.

Stuver led the Horizon League with 74 saves while posting three shutouts.  The sophomore picked up his game against some of the nation’s top competition, allowing just one goal on a penalty in Cleveland State’s 2-1 win over then-No. 1 Akron and shutting out No. 6 Butler on Nov. 5.

Seven players join Sippola, Hedges, Toure and Stuver on the All-Horizon League First Team.  Green Bay’s Tony Walls combined with Banks to give the Phoenix two players on the team, while Willie Koss represented Loyola.  Milwaukee’s Greg Rosenthal and Andrew Wiedabach each earned a place on the first team, as did two defenders - Robert Younger of UIC and Cleveland State's Audric Kilroy.

The Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship kicks off on Tuesday, Nov. 9, when No. 4 Cleveland State hosts No. 5 Detroit at 7 p.m. ET; one hour later, No. 3 Loyola hosts No. 6 Milwaukee at 8 p.m. ET.  No. 1 Butler will square off against the lowest remaining seed while No. 2 Green Bay will meet the highest remaining team in the semifinals, which begin at 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 12.  The championship contest will commence at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 14.  Butler will be the host for the semifinals and finals.

All five Horizon League Men’s Tournament matches will be carried live on HorizonLeague.com.

2010 Horizon League Award Winners
First Team All-Horizon League
Ben Sippola, Sr., M, Butler
JC Banks, Sr., M, Green Bay
Matt Hedges, Jr., D, Butler
Tony Walls, Jr., M, Green Bay
Willie Koss, Sr., M, Loyola
Robert Younger, Sr., D, UIC
Greg Rosenthal, Sr., D/M, Milwaukee
Audric Kilroy, Sr., D, Cleveland State
Ya Ya Toure, Jr., F, Detroit
Andrew Wiedabach, So., M/F, Milwaukee
Brad Stuver, So., GK, Cleveland State

Second Team All-Horizon League
Stefan Antonijevic, Jr., M, Valparaiso
David Prochazka, Sr., D, Green Bay
Kyle Pateros, Sr., M, Butler
Manuel Conde, Jr., M, Cleveland State
Conner Burt, Sr., D, Butler
Ade Oleyedun, Fr., M, Butler
Adrian Ortiz, Sr., M, Valparaiso
Scott Raymonds, Sr., M, Green Bay
Andrew Weis, Sr., M, Loyola
Jeff Baker, Sr., D, Cleveland State
Fabian Knopfler, Sr., GK, Butler

All-Newcomer Team
Ya Ya Toure, Jr., F, Detroit
Ade Oleyedun, Fr., M, Butler
Manuel Conde, Jr., M, Cleveland State
Aslinn Rodas, Fr., M, Cleveland State
Sam Krenzien, Fr., F, Green Bay
Robbie Boyd, Fr., F/M, Milwaukee
James Howe, Fr., M, Loyola
Jordan Burt, Fr., M, Butler
Austin Oldham, Fr., F, Butler
David Bernhardsson, Fr., F, Green Bay
Guy Shabtay, Jr., F, Valparaiso

Player of the Year: Ben Sippola, Butler
Offensive Player of the Year: Ben Sippola, Butler
Defensive Player of the Year: Matt Hedges, Butler
Goalkeeper of the Year: Brad Stuver, Cleveland State
Newcomer of the Year: Ya Ya Toure, Detroit
Coach of the Year: Kelly Findley, Butler