UIC men's soccer team wins national statistical title as stingiest defense

Dec. 8, 2006

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Indianapolis, Ind. -- After spending much of the season among the nation's top 25 teams, the University of Illinois at Chicago men's soccer team was promoted by some media outlets as a possible challenger for the national championship. The Flames didn't reach the Men's College Cup in St. Louis, Mo., last weekend, but they did win a title of sorts, topping the nation with the stingiest defense in all of Division I.

UIC's 0.36 goals-against average led the nation, with Monmouth University (0.45), Fairleigh Dickinson University (0.46) and Lehigh University (0.48) next in line. UIC's average also ranks fifth in NCAA Division I history and the best since the University of Evansville set the record at 0.24 in 1990. Indiana University (0.25 in 1979), George Mason University (0.35 in 1982) and Clemson University (0.36 in 1983) are the only other Division I programs that can claim better season-long averages than UIC.

On an individual basis, UIC redshirt freshman Jovan Bubonja ranked fourth in the nation with his 0.373 goals-against average. Bubonja allowed only eight goals (never more than one in any match) while stopping 76 shots in his 1,930 minutes of play for a .905 save percentage which ranked third in Division I. The Flame netminder posted a school-record ten shutouts in 2006, earning the League's Goalkeeper of the Year award and First-Team All-League honors.

Bubonja's play helped UIC to its first League title in six years as the Flames' 5-1-1 loop ledger topped the circuit's regular-season charts. Coach John Trask's group advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 and defeated Western Illinois University, 3-0, in the opening round before falling 1-0 at the University of Notre Dame to settle for a 13-3-5 overall record that also included a 2-1 triumph (Sept. 8) over a UC Santa Barbara team that went on to win the national championship.

Northern Illinois University sophomore goalkeeper Joe Zimka won the individual title, setting an NCAA record with his 0.21 goals-against average after allowing only three markers in 1,304 minutes. Georgia State University sophomore Filipe Carvalho led the nation in saves per game, stopping 6.40 shots per outing.

At the offensive end, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior Joshua Okoampa finished tenth in the national scoring race, averaging 1.79 points per game with a League-high 32 points off a circuit-best 14 goals and six assists. Wright State University's Braden Fleak was second among freshmen and 19th overall with his 1.61 points-per-game norm, collecting 13 goals with three assists for 29 points in 18 appearances.

Okoampa (0.74) and Fleak (0.72) also ranked 13th and 14th, respectively, in goals per game, while University of Detroit Mercy senior Vahid Assadpour tied for 25th place with his rate of 0.44 assists per game (eight helpers in 18 matches). WSU junior goalkeeper Tebias Mason finished third with 5.83 saves per contest.

Okoampa was tabbed as the League's Offensive Player of the Year, recording circuit-best totals of 14 goals and 34 points this fall. The last of those markers proved to be the difference when the Phoenix defeated Butler University, 2-1, in the semifinal round of the League Championship tournament. The senior striker, a Third-Team All-America selection by the National Soccer Coaches of America (NSCAA) last week, won First-Team All-League honors for the third time in 2006 and completed his career with 36 goals to rank fifth in school history.

Nationally, Boston College junior Charlie Davies' rate of 2.25 points per game was just ahead of Jacksonville University senior Tommy Krizanovic (2.20), while Notre Dame junior Joseph Lapira posted the nation's top goals-per-game rate at 0.96. His total of 22 markers included the decisive tally in the Fighting Irish's 1-0 victory over UIC in the second round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 15. Central Connecticut State University sophomore Yan Klukowski boasted the best assists-per-game ration with his 0.73 pace.

UIC's team championship marks the second year in a row that a Horizon League representative has won a national statistical title. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee goalkeeper Grant Fernstrum topped the Division I charts with a 0.47 goals-against average in 2005.

Note: The national team and individual statistical leaders can be found in the PDF version of this release.