3/10/10 - The Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL-Pro) today announced its award winners for the just-completed 2009/10 regular season.
Jeff Hughes of the 1790 Cincinnati Express was named the league’s Most Valuable Player with a league-high 53 points and 37 goals. Hughes proved his versatility after jumping into a more offensive role this year, despite being named to the All-League Second Team as a defender last year.
Louisville Lightning rookie head coach Scott Budnick was named Coach of the Year. Budnick led the expansion Lightning to an 11-5 record and they will face San Diego in the US Open Arena Soccer Championship final on April 10. Louisville missed the playoffs by one game despite a roster that featured only one player with previous professional indoor experience.
The PASL-Pro’s three expansion teams fared particularly well in voting. The San Diego Sockers placed two players on the All-League First Team and two on the All-League Second Team. The Louisville Lightning nabbed one First Team spot and one Second Team spot The Ohio Vortex had one First Team spot for Allen Eller who tied for the league lead in scoring and had two six-goal games this season.
Last year’s North American Championship finalists were also well-represented. The California Cougars had three players named to the Second Team and the 1790 Cincinnati Express had two on the First Team, and one on the Second Team.
Joining Hughes and Eller on the First Team were defenders Dan Antoniuk and Jeff Henderson. Henderson led the PASL-Pro with 29 blocked shots. Louisville’s Safet Kovacevic, who finished one point behind Eller and Hughes for the league lead was also third overall in voting. The top goalkeeper was San Diego’s Riley Swift who finished with an 11-1 record.
Kraig Chiles, who finished third with 32 goals, was the top vote-getter on the Second Team, while Paul Wright, Nelson Santana, and Brian Farber finished tied in voting, necessitating a seventh name to be added to the list. Players who received multiple votes, who didn’t make either team, were recognized with an Honorable Mention. Several more players received single votes, including players from the CMISL, but none could generate a consensus.
"The voting was incredibly difficult this year," said PASL-Pro Commissioner Kevin Milliken. "We had 14 teams this year compared to 11 last year, but the additional depth went beyond that. Seven of the 13 All-League players weren’t even in the league last year."
The PASL-Pro completes its season this weekend with the North American Championships at Del Mar Arena in San Diego. The top six teams from the US, Canada, and Mexico will do battle starting with the quarterfinals on Thursday at 5:00pm and 7:30pm. The semifinals are Friday, also at 5:00pm and 7:30pm and the championship will be held Saturday at 6:15pm.
2009-10 Most Valuable Player
| Jeff Hughes |
Cincinnati |
2009-10 Coach of the Year
| Scott Budnick |
Louisville |
2009-10 All-League First Team
| D-Dan Antoniuk |
San Diego |
| D-Jeff Henderson |
Cincinnati |
| M-Jeff Hughes |
Cincinnati |
| F-Allen Eller |
Ohio |
| F-Safet Kovacevic |
Louisville |
| GK-Riley Swift |
San Diego |
2009-10 All-League Second Team
| D-Jonathan Kincheloe |
Louisville |
| D-Antonio Sutton |
California |
| M-Paul Wright |
San Diego |
| M-Brian Farber / Nelson Santana |
California |
| F-Kraig Chiles |
San Diego |
| GK-Craig Salvati |
Cincinnati |
2009-10 Honorable Mention
D-Ze Roberto, San Diego; D-David Vedder, California; D-Adam Boyer, Louisville; M-Jamie Harrigan, Texas; F-Enrique Tovar, California; F-Aaron Susi, San Diego; GK-Frank Peabody, Louisville; GK-Jesus Molina, California
