May 11, 2011

Tolle Staffanson Named Men's Soccer 2010 Player of the Year

HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac men's soccer team held its annual banquet recently and announced its individual awards for the 2010 season. Senior Tolle Staffanson (Goteborg, Sweden) was named the team's Player of the Year, while senior Rodrigo Uchoa (Brasilia, Brazil) was named Academic Player of the Year, senior Pierre Soubrier (Aurignac, France) was named Player's Player of the Year, and freshman Brandon Strain-Goode (Toronto, Ontario) was honored with the Young Player of the Year award.

Staffanson started in 16 of the team's 17 contests and managed to accumulate 1449 total minutes, ranking third-most on the team. His on-field performance was recognized by the Northeast Conference, as he was named to the 2010 Second Team All-NEC, his first-career All-NEC selection. He started in 75 games throughout his career, which was the most among any player on the active roster during the 2010 season.

Soubrier earned his second-career All-NEC selection, as he accompanied Staffanson on the Second Team. He finished the 2010 season tied for second on the team with nine points on two goals and five assists. The Aurignac native finished his career with six goals and eight assists, while making 69 starts for the Bobcats.

The two defenders paired up one last time when they were invited to play in the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League's All-Star Game, which took place on November 28, 2010 at Harvard University. Soubrier was also honored two weeks later on December 12, 2010 with a Third Team All-North Atlantic Region selection.

Uchoa played in eight games throughout the season and earned his first-ever Academic Player of the Year award. The senior netted a goal and two assists during his career at Quinnipiac.

Strain-Goode started in all 17 games during the season and logged the most minutes (1577) of anyone on the team. With the departure of Staffanson and Soubrier, he will look to become a focal point of the defense for the 2011 fall season.

Nine members of the squad were also recognized by the NEC for their efforts in the classroom, as they earned All-NEC Academic Honor status. Sophomores Brett Uttley (Jamestown, R.I.), Greg DiGiovine (Cranford, N.J.), Ryan Malki (Chicago, Ill.), and George Ellis (Greatham, England), as well as seniors Dwayne Mars (St. Michael, Barbados), Johan Karlhagen (Gothenburg, Sweden), junior Matthew Rothbart (Cheshire, Conn.), and freshman Kenneth Kolbeck (Derry, N.H.) represented the men's soccer team on the for the Fall Academic Honor Roll of 2010.