Aug. 4, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - The newly expanded BIG EAST Conference today announced Preseason Awards for the upcoming 2005 men's soccer season. Garnering individual BIG EAST honors for Georgetown were senior Jeff Curtin (Oreland, PA/Germantown Academy) and junior Ricky Schramm (East Chester, NY/Fordham Prep School) who were named the Preseason Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year respectively. Both players were also honored with a spot on the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team. The Georgetown University men's soccer team was picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST's Red Division.

Curtin, a 2005 All-America candidate, earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors last year and was named to the Second Team NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Team. He was the BIG EAST's Rookie of the Year in 2002 and has earned All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades in his first three seasons. Last year Curtin played in 19 games and had five goals and an assist from his center back position. He is Georgetown's anchor on defense and is poised for another standout season.

Schramm is the reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and shares this year's preseason award with Seton Hall junior Sacha Kljestan. Schramm had a remarkable sophomore campaign for the Hoyas finishing the season as the BIG EAST leader in points and goals with 13 goals and six assists in 20 games played. He earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors and was also named to the NSCAA All-South Atlantic Regional Third Team. Schramm already ranks 12th all time at Georgetown in career points with 53 and is 10th in goals with 22.

The Hoyas gathered 73 points among voting of the league's coaches to secure fourth place in the Red Division, behind Connecticut (113), Notre Dame (112) and Seton Hall (91). West Virginia (60), Marquette (52), Pittsburgh (39) and Providence (28) ranked 5th-8th, respectively. In the Blue Division St John's took top honors with 120 votes and was followed by Rutgers (95), USF (90), Villanova (71), Cincinnati (61), Syracuse (59), Louisville (50) and DePaul (22).

Georgetown made a run to the BIG EAST Semifinals in 2004 on its way to a final record of 11-8-2. The Hoyas finished the year fifth in the league with a 5-4-1 record. Georgetown returns eight starters and begins its 2005 season on September 2 at home against Howard in the 2005 D.C. College Cup at 2:30 p.m. Georgetown is the host for the annual D.C. Cup and will take on American in its second game on Sunday, September 4.