SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Nov. 1) – Nichols College midfielder/forward Pat Gaumond (Holden, Mass.) has been named the The Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year, it was announced by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye Friday. Gaumond and six other student-athletes earned All-TCCC honors, and Head Coach Chris Traina was named the conference's Coach of the Year.
Voting for the All-TCCC team and each of the major awards was conducted among TCCC men's soccer coaches.
Sophomore forward Scott Coderre (Thompson, Conn.), senior back David Johnson (Canterbury, Conn.) and junior goalkeeper Brendan Hamilton (North Attleboro, Mass.) were all named to the First Team, while senior midfielder Mark Capitanio (Mansfield, Mass.) earned Second Team honors. Gaumond, senior Mike Schell (South Windsor, Conn.) and senior back Ryan Wytrych (Feeding Hills, Mass.) picked up Honorable Mention accolades.
Gaumond has enjoyed quite the breakout season. The rookie started 16 of 18 regular-season games, adding excellent offense to the mix with four goals, two assists, and 10 points on the season. Against TCCC competition, Gaumond was a factor in five goals, netting three and assisting with two. His offense helped lead the Bison to secure the top seed for TCCC Championship Tournament.
Traina, in his sixth season as head coach for the men's soccer squad at Nichols, was recognized as TCCC Coach of the year for the first time. The Bison ended the regular season with the most wins in program history, posting a 14-3-1 record including a program-best nine shutouts. The team entered the postseason for the third time in three years and claimed the #1 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship Tournament.The Bison also had one of the strongest offensive lines in TCCC-play, collecting 37 goals and 26 assists. The team finished the regular season ranked in or near 20th in several categories nationally for NCAA DIII programs including scoring offense (24), total goals (14), goals against average (12), shutout percentage (17), and save percentage (5).
Coderre makes his first All-Conference appearance after leading the Bison in points (28) and goals (12) during the 18-game regular season. He secured the game-winning score at Becker on September 14. Johnson earns his third consecutive All-TCCC honors, making his first appearance on the First Team after playing a key role on the tough Bison back line that allowed opponents just nine tallies and 91 shots on goal during the year. Johnson was an Honorable Mention selection in 2008 and 2009 as a forward. Hamilton has set Bison records for single-season and career shutouts with nine during the regular season for a career total of 16. His 0.53 goals against average ranks in the top 20 in the nation and his .900 save percentage places him in the top 10 in the country.
Capitanio repeats on the All-TCCC squad after securing 17 points on six goals and five assists during the regular season. He recorded the game-winning goal in two league games against New England College and Colby-Sawyer. Capitanio earned First Team honors in 2009.
Schell earns Honorable Mention accolades for the second consecutive season. He scored five goals to go with five assists and was tied for the team lead with three game-winners, all coming in conference action. Wytrych anchored the back line with Johnson and makes his first All-TCCC appearance after helping the Bison hold opponents to an .043 shot percentage and just nine goals on the year.
The top-seeded Bison host fourth-seeded Salve Regina Wednesday at 4 p.m. on Vendetti Field for the semifinal round of the TCCC Championship Tournament.
2010 All-TCCC Men's Soccer Team
First Team:
F, Scott Coderre. Sophomore
B, David Johnson, Senior
GK, Brendan Hamilton, Junior
Second Team:
M, Mark Capitanio, Senior
Honorable Mention:
F, Pat Gaumond, Freshman
M, Mike Schell, Senior
B, Ryan Wytrych, Senior
Individual Awards:
Rookie of the Year: Pat Gaumond
Coach of the Year: Chris Traina
