MS places eight on All-ASC Team; Bankhead named Coach of the Year

11/06/07

  ASC Coach of the Year Brad Bankhead (left) and ASC Offensive Freshman of the Year Jonathan Hernandez

Belton, TX - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's soccer team placed eight players on the American Southwest Conference's All-Conference Team released today. UMHB also took two of the league's top individual awards with head coach Brad Bankhead earning ASC Coach of the Year honors and freshman forward Jonathan Hernandez being voted ASC Offensive Freshman of the Year. The Cru had three First Team selections, one Second Team pick, a Third Team choice and three Honorable Mention honorees.

Hernandez, Brett Tasin and Mickey Kerr were voted to the ASC All-Conference First Team. Hernandez, a freshman forward from Belton High School, led the Cru with 10 goals and 21 total points. He also had an assist and a team-best four game-winning goals. Tasin, a senior defender from Georgetown High School, helped anchor a defense that held opponents to a 0.93 goals against average and posted eight shutouts. Tasin also added a goal, an assist and three total points. Kerr, a senior midfielder from Belton High School, finished with a goal, two assists and four total points.

Defender Juan Lopez was voted to the All-Conference Second Team. Lopez, a senior from Waco Reicher High School, was one of the top defenders for the Cru. He added two goals and an assist for five total points.

Goalkeeper Jude Austin was named to the All-Conference Third Team. Austin, a junior from Carenero High School in Scott, Louisiana, posted a 0.94 goals against average and five shutouts. He also recorded 49 saves for the Cru.

Jeremy Whiteurst, Tyler Wagner and Matt Dollins were all named Honorable Mention All-Conference. Whiteurst, a senior forward from Langham Creek High School in Houston, scored three goals for six total points and all three of his goals were game winners. Wagner, a junior forward from Midway High School, scored five goals for ten total points. Dollins, a sophomore midfielder from Granbury, was a solid defensive player and added a goal and two total points.

This is the fourth All-Conference honor for Kerr and Tasin and the third for Whiteurst. Austin and Wagner are two-time All-Conference selections. This is the first All-ASC selection for Lopez, Hernandez and Dollins.

ASC Coach of the Year Brad Bankhead guided the Cru to an 11-7-1 overall record this season and the UMHB men finished 10-2-1 in ASC play to tie for third place in the conference standings. The Cru advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament for the second straight season before falling to U.T.-Tyler in a first-round match. The third-place finish is the highest for the UMHB men since moving to NCAA Division III ten years ago. The Cru also advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in the program's history.