INDIANAPOLIS – Northern Kentucky’s Steven Beattie (Skerries, Ireland/Colaiste Ide) has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and Drury University’s Stephen Conner (Springfield, Mo./Glendale) is the 2009 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year. The pair anchors an 11-member All-GLVC First Team as selected by the conference’s 15 head coaches.

 

Joining Beattie and Conner on the All-GLVC First Team are Bellarmine’s Ross Hopkins, Drury’s Steve Wilczewski, Ben Nabers, Peter Higgins and Ben Taylor, Lewis’ Nestor Hernandez and Zac Bond and Northern Kentucky’s Seth Eckerlin and Chris Dobrowolski.

 

Beattie, a junior forward for the Norse, has captured the league’s top offensive award for the second straight season. The 2008 Ron Lenz National Player of the Year returned in 2009 to post 15 goals and five assists in 14 league matches. Beattie led the conference in shots (83), points (35), goals and game-winning goals (5). He also tied for fourth in the league in assists and helped NKU finish second in the GLVC standings at 11-3-0.

 

Overall during the year, Beattie has led the Norse to a 14-4-1 record. In the 19 matches he has 18 goals and six assists for 42 points. He also set the NKU all-time goal scoring mark in 2009. Beattie has 50 goals and 14 assists in his three seasons with the Norse.

 

Conner, a sophomore goalkeeper for the Panthers, helped key a 13-1-0 conference record for Drury in 2009. In 13 league matches, Conner allowed just six goals and finished the conference season with a 0.46 goals against average. He made 39 saves and posted a 0.867 save percentage. In addition, Conner registered eight shutouts against league opponents and led the league in goals against average, shutouts and save percentage.

 

Overall in 2009, Conner has allowed eight goals and boasts a 0.50 goals against average. He has ten shutouts, 50 saves and a 0.862 save percentage. He is currently ranked sixth in NCAA Division II in goals against average and 11th in save percentage.

 

Lewis University’s Sebastian Kieruzal (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) has been named the 2009 GLVC Freshman of the Year. Kieruzal helped pace the 17th-ranked Flyers to a 10-3-0 record in league matches. He allowed just nine goals and finished with a 0.70 goals against average, good for second in the league behind Conner. He also posted six shutouts and a 0.842 save percentage by notching 48 saves.

 

Drury’s Ryan Swan has been named the GLVC Coach of the Year. Swan, in his first season as head coach of the Panthers, guided Drury to a 13-1-0 record in the conference in 2009. The Panthers, ranked fourth in the NSCAA/adidas Top 25, are 16-1-0 overall. They outscored league opponents 39-6 and posted shutouts in their first seven conference matches. Drury is the top seed for the upcoming GLVC Men’s Soccer Tournament.

 

In addition to the first-team selections, the GLVC has also announced an 11-member All-GLVC Second Team and an 11-member All-GLVC Third Team.

 

Offensive Player of the Year: Steven Beattie, Northern Kentucky, Jr., F

Defensive Player of the Year: Stephen Conner, Drury, So., GK

Freshman of the Year: Sebastian Kierzual, Lewis, Fr., GK

Coach of the Year: Ryan Swan, Drury

 

ALL-GLVC FIRST TEAM
Forwards
Steven Beattie, Northern Kentucky, Jr.
Nestor Hernandez, Lewis, Sr.
Steve Wilczewski, Drury, Sr.
Midfielders

Seth Eckerlin, Northern Kentucky, Sr.
Peter Higgins, Drury, Jr.
Ross Hopkins, Bellarmine, Jr.
Ben Nabers, Drury, Sr.

Backs
Zac Bond, Lewis, Jr.

Chris Dobrowolski, Northern Kentucky, Sr.

Ben Taylor, Drury, Jr.
Goalkeeper
Stephen Conner, Drury, So.