April 21, 2011
WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University men's soccer team held its annual banquet on Saturday at F. Scott's. The squad gave out its three major awards and recognized both team and individual successes throughout the season. Georgetown won the BIG EAST Blue Division and earned an NCAA Tournament bid advancing to the second round.
After remarks from Head Coach Brian Wiese, the 2010 highlight video was shown including a bonus feature titled "Separated at Birth" mad by Volunteer Assistant Coach Andrew Quinn. Following the videos, the major award winners of the evening were unveiled.
The Most Valuable Player Award was given to sophomore Ian Christianson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Christian Life). He was named to College Soccer News' Second Team and Second Team All-Northeast Region from the NSCAA. The midfielder was the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year after ranking second on the team in points scored with 17 tallied on five goals and seven assists. Christianson started in all 20 games for the Hoyas and had three game-winning goals to his credit including one in the NCAA Tournament win over UNC Greensboro. He went 2-for-2 on penalty kicks with his PK in the win over West Virginia sealing the 1-0 victory. Christianson was also named All-BIG EAST First Team.
The Most Improved Player Award went to senior defender Ben Slingerland (Beverly, Mass./St. John's Prep) who worked his way into the starting lineup. Slingerland appeared in 19 games with 13 starts and the Hoyas won nine-consecutive games in as many starts. The defender played a huge role in the middle of the defense and scored a goal against Providence. He will return next season for a fifth year of eligibility.
The Ricardo Mendoza Award, given to the player who exhibits spirit, leadership and dedication, was presented by Georgetown alum Dan Helfrich, who won the honor in 1997. For the second time in program history, it was given to two players goalkeepers Matthew Brutto (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) and Mark Wilber (Tijeras, N.M./Albuquerque Academy). The pair split time over the past four years and both were willing to sacrifice playing time for the betterment of the squad. Both have seen significant minutes over their careers and have worked hard to help Georgetown into the record books in shutouts. The last time two players won the Mendoza award was in 2006.
Following the team awards, Wiese presented the letterman certificates and spoke briefly on each player. The 11 seniors were presented with a framed jersey.
Georgetown finished the season with a record of 12-6-2 and a mark of 7-2 in the BIG EAST. The Hoyas won the BIG EAST Blue Division Regular Season Championship for the first time since 1994.
Despite 11 graduating seniors, three will return for a fifth year and GU returns its top two scorers.
