TicketsJan. 19, 2007
-- Former University of Cincinnati goalkeeper Mike Vessells has been named to the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Scholar Athlete All-East Team. A senior in 2006, Vessells graduated in December with a degree in marketing and a 3.42 cumulative grade point average.
"This is a great honor," said Vessells. "It has always been important to me to succeed both on and off the field. I came to college as a student first and an athlete second with my main goal to get a degree. The success we had on the soccer field was definitely a bonus."
Vessells was a three-year starter and captain for the Bearcats and finished his career with 15 shutouts, which ranks second in school history, and a 1.15 GAA. His 2006 season was superb, as he ranked fifth in the BIG EAST with a 0.89 goals against average during the regular season and finished fourth in the league with seven shutouts.
"Mike had a great career at ," head coach Hylton Dayes said of Vessells. "He was a great leader for our program and a great player, and he obviously excelled in the classroom, as evidenced by this well-deserved award."
A third-team All-Conference USA performer in 2004, Vessells was in goal for several of the UC program's biggest wins. Vessells helped the Bearcats to 2-1 wins against both No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 17 St. John's in 2006, the latter coming in Belson Stadium, a venue in which the Red Storm had lost just five times since its construction in 2002. He posted a shutout in the Bearcats' 2-0 victory against No. 1 Connecticut and led UC to a 2-1 win against No. 17 Notre Dame in 2005. In 2004, Vessells helped the Bearcats knock off previously unbeaten and No. 13-ranked USF with a 1-0 shutout victory. In the very next match, he posted another shutout, this time at No. 21 Saint Louis, giving UC its first-ever win at Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
The NSCAA/adidas Scholar Athlete All-East Team is one of four regional scholar athlete teams awarded. The team includes 93 student-athletes from all divisions, with the first team becoming eligible for the NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-America Team.