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

AUGUSTA, GA -- The Peach Belt Conference has announced its 11-member preseason men’s soccer All-Conference team as selected by the league’s sports information directors. Lander and UNC Pembroke both lead the way with three players each while USC Aiken and Francis Marion sport two apiece and Clayton State has one.

Aaron Brittain, Jamie Ramm and Adam Arthur are the Lander players selected to the preseason team. Brittain was named All-Conference and All-Tournament after scoring 13 goals last year. He was one of three players tied for second in the league in goals scored. Ramm was the only PBC player named an All-America by the NSCAA last season. The junior midfielder had four goals and three assists, one of those the game-winner against Clayton State in the NCAA Tournament. Adam Arthur missed nearly half of the 2007 season with an injury but he was the PBC Freshman of the Year in 2006. Last year he scored seven goals in the 12 games he played in with three assists in the midfield.

For UNC Pembroke, Miguel Ferrer, Andrew Brown and Michael Barnhorst were named to the team. Ferrer was named a Daktronics All-American in 2007 as well as All-Conference after scoring 26 points on nine goals and eight assists. He was sixth in the PBC in points and third in assists. Brown was named All-Region as a forward after scoring three goals and six assists. Barnhorst started 17 games on defense and was third on the team with five assists.

USC Aiken’s Kofi Akyere was named a co-PBC Player of the Year in 2007 and the first honorable mention All-American in school history. The senior forward scored 12 goals last year, fifth in the PBC. He was also fifth in the league with 27 points and was ranked third in game-winning goals. Alex Lewis was the stopper on a Pacer defense that allowed only 1.75 goals per game and recorded four shutouts.

Francis Marion’s Juan Rivas and Clarke Richardson were also named preseason All-Conference. Rivas was named All-PBC in 2007 after scoring nine goals to be tied for sixth in the PBC. He led the team in goals assists and points despite appearing in only 14 matches as a freshman. Patriot goalkeeper Clark Richeson was sixth in the PBC in saves last year with 6.17 per match. He finished the season with a 2.09 GAA and .740 save percentage.

Clayton State’s Brett Neilsen started in 17 games in 2007 as a marking back in the Laker defense. He had four assists from that position, tied for 10th in the league. He helped anchor a defense that recorded nine shutouts last year and was ranked second in the league in scoring defense.

2008 Peach Belt Conference
Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

Forwards
Kofi Akyere, USC Aiken
Aaron Brittain, Lander
Andrew Brown, UNC Pembroke
Juan Rivas, Francis Marion

Goalkeeper
Clark Richeson, Francis Marion

Midfielders
Adam Arthur, Lander
Miguel Ferrer, UNC Pembroke
Jamie Ramm, Lander

Defenders
Michael Barnhorst, UNC Pembroke
Alex Lewis, USC Aiken
Brett Neilsen, Clayton State