Santa Clara senior Jeff Stewart was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and also doubled as the Co-Defender of the Year, it was announced today by the conference office. Rounding out the league¹s top honors are Loyola Marymount defender Matt Kovar, who earned Freshman of the Year, and San Diego junior Justin Neerhof shared WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors with SCU¹s Stewart. Santa Clara head coach Mitch Murray was selected by his peers as the WCC Coach of the Year.
Stewart is the first Player of the Year honoree from SCU since Paul Holocher in 1991. The senior defender led the Broncos to their first WCC title since 1997 by anchoring the Santa Clara defense. While SCU¹s offense posted just 19 goals this season, a Stewart-led defense kept the Broncos in games enough to post a 11-8 overall record and earn the school¹s sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament in the last seven years.
LMU¹s Kovar is the first-ever Lion to receive Freshman of the Year honors, while Mitch Murray¹s WCC Coach of the Year honor makes it the second time a SCU coach has earned this award (Murray won in 1991). San Diego¹s Justin Neerhof becomes the third goalie to receive WCC Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
Player of the Year: Jeff Stewart, Santa Clara
Freshman of the Year: Matt Kovar, Loyola Marymount
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Jeff Stewart, Santa Clara; Justin Neerhof, San Diego
Coach of the Year: Mitch Murray, Santa Clara
First Team
Arturo Torres, LMU Jr. F Wilmington, Calif.
Ryan Coiner, USD Jr. F Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Jeff Stewart, SCU Sr. D Bellevue, Wash
Nick Marcum, SMC Sr. M San Diego, Calif.
Justin Neerhof, USD Jr. GK Denver, Colo.
Nate Jaqua, POR So. F Eugene, Ore.
Danny Huet, GON Jr. D Aurora, Colo.
Arni Ingi Pjetursson,GON Fr. MF Reykjavik, Iceland
Brandon Henley, POR Sr. F Sacramento, CA
Kelly Gray, POR Jr. F San Jose, CA
Zach Scott, GON Sr. D Haiku, HI
Second Team
Michael Erush, LMU So. M Van Nuys, Calif.
Scott Burcar, USD So. M Graham, Wash.
Anthony Chimienti, SCU Sr. F San Jose, Calif.
Andres Murriagui, LMU Jr. M Laguna Hills, CA
Chris Schwarze, USF Fr. D Camarillo, CA
Curtis Spiteri, POR Jr. GK Vista, CA
Garrett Turk, USD Jr. D Laguna Nigel, CA
Matt Kovar, LMU Fr. D Palos Verdes, CA
Sy Reeves, USD Jr. F Ellensburg, WA
Josh Hansen, USF So. F. Phoenix, CA
Ryan Cochrane, SCU Fr. D. Portland, OR
HONORABLE MENTION
Issac Vanden Burg, POR; Josh Duffy, SMC; Jamil Walker, SCU; Jeff Kovar, LMU; Steve Cronin, SCU; Rusty Johnson, SCU; Matt Pritchard, GON; Anthony Medina, USF; Joe Astroth, SMC; Kyle Tanner, POR; Gerard Hylkema, USF; Tryggvi Bjornsson, GON; Brandon McNeil, POR; Scott Yuska, GON; Keith Burden, SCU; Kevin Novak, LMU
