Butler Lands Eight On All-League Men’s Soccer Team

Butler’s success during the regular season translated into a strong showing on the 2009 Horizon League Men’s Soccer All-League Team, released on Tueday, Nov 10.  The league champion Bullodgs placed eight players on the honor squad, and Butler captured three of the league’s top six individual awards, chosen by a vote of conference coaches.

Head Coach Kelly Findley, sophomore defender Matt Hedges and freshman forward Julian Cardona were the top honorees for the Bulldogs, who wrapped up the league regular season title with a 13-2-1 overall record and a 6-1-1 conference mark.  Findley was chosen as the Horizon League Coach of the Year, while Hedges was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.  Cardona, who leads all freshmen in the league in scoring this fall and all players in game-winning goals (4), was selected as the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year.

Hedges, who’s Butler’s third-leading scorer with five goals and two assists, also earned first team All-League recognition, along with teammates Boris Gatzky and Kyle VondenBenken.  Gatzky, a senior forward, tops the Bulldogs and ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring with 19 points.  He’s tied with Cardona and two other players for fifth in the league in goals with six, and he ranks third in the circuit in assists with seven.  VondenBenken, a senior midfielder, is second on the team and tied for fifth in the league in assists with five.

Juniors Fabian Knopfler and Conner Burt, two mainstays on Butler’s defensive unit, earned second team All-Horizon League recognition.  Knopfler, who started at goalkeeper in six of Butler’s eight league matches, leads the Horizon League and ranks 17th in the NCAA Division I in goals against average (0.67).  Burt, a defender, has helped the Bulldogs pace the league in fewest goals allowed (10).

Joining Cardona on the league All-Newcomer team were Butler freshmen Jared Isenthal and Tyler Pollock.  Isenthal has been another key performer on Butler’s defensive unit, while Pollock, a forward, is fourth on the team in scoring with four goals and an assist.

Midfielder JC Banks of Green Bay, who leads the Horizon League in scoring with 13 goals and eight assists, was chosen as the Horizon League Player of the Year and as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year.  Valparaiso goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz was named Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year.