Bowling Green State University Athletics
DeGraff and Leardini Named All-Ohio
December 06, 2002 | Men's Soccer
Dec. 6, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green State University junior goalkeeper David DeGraff (first team) and senior defender Matt Leardini (second team) were named 2002 All-Ohio, as voted on by regional members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Both DeGraff and Leardini were also voted first-team All-MAC last month after helping lead the Falcons to a share of the MAC Regular-Season championship and to the tournament championship game.
DeGraff had a league-low 0.49 goals-against-average in five MAC matches (461:13 minutes) while making 19 saves and posting two shutouts (Buffalo and Akron). For the season, he started all 19 Falcon matches and finished with a career-high 87 saves and 2.03 goals-against-average (1,731:48 minutes). DeGraff's two shutouts this season upped his career total to 13.
Leardini, the team captain, finished his senior campaign with two goals and one assist in 19 games played. He was moved to defender early in the year and helped the Falcons rebound from a slow start to post a 5-4-0 record in the second half of the season. The Youngstown, N.Y., native scored a goal in the MAC semifinal win over Kentucky (2-1) and his other netter came vs. Ohio State.
It was the first time for both of the players to be named All-Ohio.
BGSU (6-13-0 overall, 4-1-0 MAC) won a share of its third MAC regular-season title (co-champs with Akron) and the team's seventh appearance in the MAC Tournament Championship.
2002 ALL-OHIO SELECTION1st TEAM GK David DeGraff , Jr., Bowling Green, Naperville, IL D Tiest Sondaall, So., Xavier , Tilberg, Netherlands D Jake Traeger, Sr., Ohio State, Littleton, CO D Denny Clanton, Jr., Dayton , Aurora, IL M Tim Brown, Jr., Cincinnati , Wellington, New Zealand M Bret Jones, Sr., Wright State, Xenia, OH M Tony Earp, Sr., Ohio State, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. F Chris Rolfe, So., Dayton, Kettering, OH F Andy Rosenband, Sr., Ohio State, Hammond, IN F Kirt Harwat, Jr., Akron, North Royalton, OH F Stephan Ademolu, So., Cleveland State, Windsor, Canada
2nd TEAM GK Brian Schaeper, So., Xavier, Cincinnati, OH D Mike Nsien, Sr., Dayton, Tulsa, OK D Brandon Dobbs, Jr., Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH D Matt Leardini, Sr., Bowling Green, Youngstown, NY M Alex Odwell, So., Akron, Northampton, England M Adrian Balc, Fr., Cleveland State, Hudson, OH M Hans Jorgen Haugland, So., Akron, Bergen, Norway F Steven Barten, Fr., Xavier, Geldrop, Netherlands F Justin Cook, Jr., Ohio State, Orlando, FL F Ricky Strong, Jr., Wright State, Rochester Hills, MI F Patrick Wiremu, So., Cincinnati, OH, Wellington, New Zealand
Player-of-the-Year: Tiest Sondaal
