Peach Belt Announces Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

The Peach Belt Conference has announced its first-ever Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference team as voted on by the league’s Sports Information Directors. 11 players were named to the team including three each from Lander and Clayton State. UNC Pembroke and USC Aiken each had two while Francis Marion added one.

2006 PBC Player of the Year Nick Cooke returns for his senior season at Lander. In 2006, the All-American from Chesterfield, England, led the PBC with 20 goals. Also back for the Bearcats is goalkeeper Garret Daum. A senior from Bartonville, Texas, Daum was second in the PBC in 2006 with a 0.74 goals against average and had a PBC-best nine shutouts. Adam Arthur was named the PBC Freshman of the Year in 2006 from his midfield spot. The sophomore from York, England, was second in the PBC with 15 goals and tied for the league lead with 11 assists in 2006.

For Clayton State, Tonny Madegwa was selected at forward while Hailab Habtom was chosen at midfield and Danny English at defender. Madegwa was leading the Lakers in scoring in 2006 until an injury sidelined him after nine games. The senior from Nairobi, Kenya, had four goals and two assists on the season. Habtom was named All-Conference and All-Region following the 2006 season. The senior from Spanga, Sweden, led Clayton State with 10 goals and was tied atop the PBC with 11 assists. English, a senior from McDonough, Ga., will anchor a defense that allowed only 1.68 goals per game in 2006.

For UNC Pembroke, forward Andrew Brown and defender Steve Locker were named preseason All-Conference. Brown was named All-Conference and All-Region in 2006 after scoring four goals with five assists. The junior from Charlotte, N.C., was tied for the team lead in both categories. Steve Locker was named PBC All-Tournament in 2006 after anchoring a defense that allowed only 1.29 goals per game. A junior from Charlotte, N.C., Locker started in 15 of UNCP’s 17 games last year as a sophomore.

USC Aiken’s Reuben Ojeyinka helped lead a resurgent Pacer team in 2006 from his forward position. The senior from Houston, Texas, led the team with seven assists and was tied for the team lead with five goals, including two game-winners. Alex Lewis was also tied for the team lead with five goals despite playing in the defense as a freshman. A sophomore from Seminole, Fla., Lewis helped the Pacer defense to six shutouts and 1.10 goals against average, third-best in the PBC.

Francis Marion’s Kyle Clinton was named to the Preseason All-Conference team as a midfielder. A sophomore from Safety Harbor, Fla., Clinton was the second-leading scorer for the Patriots as a freshman last season with six goals and one assist. He also had two game-winning goals.

2007 Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

Forwards
Andrew Brown, UNC Pembroke
Nick Cooke, Lander
Tonny Madegwa, Clayton State
Rueben Ojeyinka, USC Aiken

Goalkeeper
Garrett Daum, Lander

Midfielders
Adam Arthur, Lander
Kyle Clinton, Francis Marion
Hailab Habtom, Clayton State

Defenders
Danny English, Clayton State
Alex Lewis, USC Aiken
Steve Locker, UNC Pembroke