SOCCER'S PAGLIA NAMED THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICAN ...
CLEVELAND, OH (December 17, 2007) - Case Western Reserve University junior forward/midfielder Matt Paglia (Pittsburgh, PA) has been named a third team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The announcement was made on the NSCAA website.
Paglia, who was a first-team NSCAA Great Lakes All-Region honoree, scored a team-best eight goals for the No. 22 ranked Spartans (12-5-1) this season and had one assist. He was a first team All-University Athletic Association (UAA) selection as he finished sixth in the UAA in goals.
“Matt has worked very hard the last three years to be a better athlete and a better player,” said Head Coach Dan Palmer. “He spent extra time refining his game and has become a very efficient and very dangerous forward.”
In 2006, Paglia scored nine goals and handed out nine assists as Case Western Reserve won its first UAA title and made its first appearance in the NCAA postseason. The Spartans made it to the “Sweet 16” and finished the season ranked No. 12. He posted two goals and two assists his rookie year [2005].
MORE REGIONAL SELECTIONS… Case Western Reserve junior forward/midfielder Kevin Bigart (Naperville, IL) and junior back Zeyad Schwen (Cincinnati, OH) were named to the NSCAA Great Lakes All-Region second team. Bigart was named a second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and was a first-team All-UAA honoree this Fall. He scored six goals and handed out two assists. Schwen earned second-team All-UAA honors in 2007 and was a UAA All-Academic honoree and second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV selection.
“Bigart and Schwen are also tremendous athletes, who have worked hard to improve their game,” Palmer continued. “They have been tremendous assets to the team and we would not be able to have the success we have had the last couple years without them.”
MORE ACADEMIC HONORS… The Case Western Reserve University men's and women's soccer team were both recently honored by the NSCAA for their work in the classroom. Both squads made the association's Team Academic Award list , which you needed to post a team GPA of 3.0 or higher to make. The Case Western Reserve men posted the fifth highest GPA [3.36] in the nation [all divisions] and the women's team turned in a 3.52 GPA, the tenth highest amongst female squads.
“We [Case Western Reserve] are fortunate that we are able to attract quality student-athletes, but once they are here they have to perform,” Palmer said. “Our guys are very serious about their academic pursuits and very serious about their athletic pursuits and we have been privileged to have success in both avenues. I am very proud of them.”
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