KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team was honored with four selections to the Daktronics All-America Team.
Senior defender Andy Bacon was tapped as a first-team selection, while sophomore Braden Bishop and seniors Tony Capurro and Dan Impellizzeri were named to the second team.
Bacon, a native of Middletown, Ohio, anchored NKU's zone defense during the 2007 campaign, playing as a center back and sweeper all season. Not only was he challenged with marking some of the best strikers in the nation, but he also sniffed out long-distance attacks. His tenaciousness earned him Great Lakes Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. Bacon also served as a swingman in NKU's possession-based offense, switching fields to help the Norse gain the tactical advantage to score many of their 54 goals on the year.
Impellizzeri, a graduate of Anderson High School in Cincinnati, served a fluid role for the Norse in the season. While primarily acting as a defensive back, later in the season his fleet feet found him as a part of the Norse attack, charging up the right side of the field to create excellent scoring opportunities. His speed and fancy footwork earned him seven assists, equaling his mark from 2006.
Capurro, a 2006 member of the NSCAA/adidas All-America squad, was one of the best ball-handlers in the nation last season, gaining or maintaining possession for the Norse time and time again. When the Norse moved to the postseason, the Moeller High School alum's nose turned toward the twine, as he scored three of his four goals on the year in tournament play, including NKU's lone tally in their season-ending 2-1 loss to Lincoln Memorial in the NCAA National Quarterfinals.
Bishop adds an All-American honor to his GLVC Offensive Player of the Year and Daktronics Great Lakes Regional Player of the Year plaques. The Centerville, Ohio, native netted a team-best 16 goals, coming as close as any player has since to Todd Gruenwald's school-record 19-goal season in 1992. Bishop was conspicuous by his consistency late in the year, recording points in eight of the team's last ten regular-season games. With 29 career goals, Bishop has the potential to overtake Chad Scott as NKU's all-time goal-scoring king during his junior campaign.
2007 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
GK – Derby Carrillo (So., Cal State Dominguez Hills)
F – Daniel Brown (Sr., Midwestern State)
F – David Clifton (Gr., Franklin Pierce)
F – Leandro Pereira* (So., Lincoln Memorial)
MF – Jhonny Arteaga (Sr., Dominican)
MF – Geoff Bloes (Sr., Shippensburg)
MF – Nelson Pizzaro (Sr., Lincoln Memorial)
D – Andy Bacon (Sr., Northern Kentucky)
D – Tom Brailsford (Fr., Lees-McRae)
D – Ancil Farrier (Jr., Southern Connecticut State)
D – Felipe Nogueira (So., Lincoln Memorial)
*2007 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Player of the Year
SECOND TEAM
GK – James Thorpe (Sr., Franklin Pierce)
F – Braden Bishop (So., Northern Kentucky)
F – Jonathan Maloney (Jr., Montevallo)
F – Lee Squires (Fr., Lees-McRae)
MF – Tony Capurro (Sr., Northern Kentucky)
MF – Ahmodoul Gaye (Sr., Dowling)
MF – Ashley Rosindale (Sr., Lock Haven)
D – Danny Drago (So., East Stroudsburg)
D – Bisharra Ettienne (Sr., Franklin Pierce)
D – Dan Impellizzeri (Sr., Northern Kentucky)
D – Robert Swann (Jr., Midwestern State)
THIRD TEAM
GK – Juan Garcia (Jr., West Florida)
F – Andrew Bailey (Jr., Sonoma State)
F – Berin Boracic (Jr., Lees-McRae)
F – Sam Charles (So., Montana State Billings)
MF – Kevin Klaus (So., St. Edward's (Texas)
MF – Peter Petropanagos (Sr., Franklin Pierce)
MF – Ryan Villiard (Sr., Catawba)
D – Zach Bauer (Jr., SIU Edwardsville)
D – Kenneth Christensen (Sr., West Texas A&M)
D – Adam Frazer (Sr., Montevallo)
D – Michel Vitulano (Sr., Franklin Pierce)
Honorable Mention
GK – Greg Crook (Sr., SIU Edwardsville)
F – Dwight Barnett (Sr., Lynn)
F – Makesi Bostic (Sr., Davis & Elkins)
F – Marco Cherisma (Jr., Drury)
F – Jamal Geathers (Fr., Clayton State)
F – Tom Heinemann (So., Rockhurst)
MF – Kofi Akyere (Jr., USC Aiken)
MF – Miguel Ferrer (Jr., UNC Pembroke)
MF – Matias Pietropinto (Jr., UMass Lowell)
MF – Randy Roy (So., SIU Edwardsville)
MF – Nano Short (Jr., Lynn)
D – Dustin Allbery (Sr., Seattle)
D – Kevin Gallaugher (So., Cal State Dominguez Hills)
D – Gary Higgins (Jr., Lenoir-Rhyne)
D – Okang Nkosi (Sr., West Florida)
D – Dale Parker (So., Lees-McRae)
D – Lee Porter (Jr., Lynn)
