George Washington University

Nov. 9, 2011

Full Atlantic 10 Release

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - George Lidster was named the 2011 Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Coach of the Year and senior Yoni Berhanu was chosen the A-10's Midfielder of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday, after the pair helped guide George Washington to a share of its first regular-season league title since 1992.

The high-scoring tandem of Berhanu, whose 10 goals led the conference, and junior Seth Rudolph were both named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team after combining for a league-high tying 18 goals during the regular season.

Senior defender Mike Burke was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team, and freshman center back Matthew Scott earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.

In his final season as head coach, Coach Lidster engineered a remarkable turnaround as the Colonials overcame their No. 13 ranking in the 14-team preseason A-10 coaches poll to tie for first in the league standings with Fordham at 7-2-0 and 21 points in conference play. It marks Coach Lidster's third A-10 Coach of the Year award following his outright selection in 1989 and shared award in 1992.

Berhanu caps his sterling four-year career with the Buff and Blue with his second major A-10 award after being named the conference's Rookie of the Year in 2008. His 10 goals and 23 points this season pace GW and are a single-season career high, while his two game-winning goals - against St. Bonaventure and Duquesne in the final matches of the regular season - helped the Colonials secure a berth and bye in the upcoming A-10 Championship.

Rudolph served as the other half of GW's potent offensive duo with eight goals and 19 points, totals that rank in the top 4 in the A-10. His five game-winning goals are tops in the league entering the conference tourney. The end-of-season award is the third in as many seasons for Rudolph, who was previously an All-Rookie Team pick as a freshman and Second Team All-Atlantic 10 choice as a sophomore.

Berhanu and Rudolph become the 23rd and 24th student-athletes to earn First Team All-Atlantic 10 accolades during Coach Lidster's 24-year tenure.

Burke, a wing back with a penchant for joining the attack, earns his first career A-10 award after logging more than 1,300 minutes this fall, the most of any Colonials defender. He was a consistent presence along a back four that posted seven shutouts this season and even netted a goal in a 3-0 road victory at Rhode Island. Burke is the 14th Colonials' player to earn Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors.

Scott backed up his heralded recruit status by earning All-Rookie Team honors, the 11th such player to earn the award during Coach Lidster's tenure. The Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, native logged better than 900 minutes over 11 matches through an impressive debut regular season.

GW (9-6-2) is the No. 2 seed for this weekend's A-10 Championship at Saint Louis University's Robert R. Hermann Stadium. The Colonials will begin their quest for a third league tourney title and seventh NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday at 8:30 p.m. EST against the highest remaining seeded team after Thursday's quarterfinal action.

2011 ATLANTIC 10 MEN'S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joshua Patterson, Duquesne
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ryan Meara, Fordham
MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR: Yoni Berhanu, George Washington
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Giuseppe Gentile, Charlotte
COACH OF THE YEAR: George Lidster, George Washington

FIRST TEAM
Evan James, Charlotte F
Joshua Patterson, Duquesne F
Simon Gomez, Duquesne F
Seth Rudolph, GW F
Tyler Gibson, Charlotte M
Nathaniel Bekoe, Fordham M
Yoni Berhanu, GW M
Charles Rodriguez, Charlotte D
Adam Clement, Duquesne D
Nick Hagglund, Xavier D
Ryan Meara, Fordham GK

SECOND TEAM
Giuseppe Gentile, Charlotte F
Jason Plumhoff, La Salle F
Luke Spencer, Xavier F
Donnie Smith, Charlotte M
John Niyonsaba, Fordham M
Tim Richardson, Fordham M
David Key, Massachusetts M
Jack Pearson, Dayton D
Ryan Curran, Fordham D
Mike Burke, GW D
John McCarthy, La Salle GK

HONORABLE MENTION
Tyler Witmer, Temple F
Jidell Roach, La Salle M
Michael Robson, Saint Louis M
Nick Dundon, La Salle D
Chad Vandegriffe, Saint Louis D

ALL-ROOKIE
Giuseppe Gentile, Charlotte
Abe Keller, Dayton
Jack-Tim Murphy, Fordham
Matthew Scott, GW
Rob Friskey, La Salle
Matt Keys, Massachusetts
Matt Sykes, Rhode Island
Timmy Albright, Richmond
Raymond Lee, Saint Louis
Robbie Kristo, Saint Louis
Will Walker, Xavier

ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE
Tim Brennan, Saint Joseph's
Michael Deyhle, Dayton
Nick Dundon, La Salle
Tyler Gibson, Charlotte
Simon Gomez, Duquesne
Aidan Kirkbride, Charlotte
Aaron Markowitz, Fordham
Houston Oldham, Richmond
Joshua Patterson, Duquesne
Carter Poe, Duquesne
Sean Ryan, Xavier