PDL Feature
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
After having his senior season cut short 15 minutes in by injury, and petitioning to be granted a medical redshirt, Cal’s Steve Birnbaum made a triumphant return to action this weekend as he led the Golden Bears past No. 2 Georgetown and No. 3 Maryland. After scoring a goal in either contest, the former Orange County Blue Star center back earned TopDrawerSoccer.com’s National Player of the Week award, leading the current and former PDL players honored after the opening week of the college season.
Birnbaum was one of eight current or former PDL players named to TDS’s Team of the Week, and he also claimed the Pac-12’s Player of the Week award as the Bears climbed to No. 10 in the NSCAA rankings.
The PDL’s 2013 Golden Boot winner, Pete Caringi of the Baltimore Bohemians, joined Birnbaum in claiming TDS and conference honors as he continued the form he showed throughout the summer in the Mid Atlantic Division. Caringi, who was named the America East Player of the Week, had four goals in two games as UMBC opened the season with a pair of victories at the Springhill Suites Arundel Mills BWI Kick-Off Classic to earn the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.
Ocean City Nor’easters goalkeeper Brian Billings, who went 6-1-1 while helping his side win the Eastern Conference Championship this past summer, was also named to the team after helping Bradley get off to a strong start with two shutouts. Billings was particularly strong in the Braves’ opening game of the season as he recorded seven saves in a 1-0 win against New Hampshire, which also earned him Missouri Valley Conference Defender of the Year honors.
FC Tucson’s Richard Velazco also earned selection, and was named the first Player of the Week in the American Athletic Conference’s history, after scoring in his debut for Louisville, and adding an assist, in the Cardinals’ 2-1 road win against Virginia. Also earning selection was Portland Timbers U-23s defender Bryan Gallego, who earned Most Valuable Player honors as Akron recorded a pair of shutout wins at the College of Charleston Tournament. Gallego’s efforts also earned him the Mid-American Conference’s Player of the Week honor.
Former Chicago Fire PDL player Goffin Boyoko, who claimed Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors after a pair of standout performances for UC Santa Barbara, Mississippi Brilla midfielder Patrick Huang and Fresno Fuego defender Nathan Smith also earned selection, with Smith recording the assist on the only goal in UCLA’s upset of defending champion Indiana on Sunday afternoon.
Elsewhere, Creighton's Eric Miller, a standout for the Portland Timbers U-23s, and Alex Bolowich, who starred this past summer for the Ocala Stampede, were both honored by the Big East after the Bluejays took a pair of shutout victories. Miller was named Defensive Player of the Week as he scored in a 3-0 win against Cal-Poly, while Bolowich was named Goalkeeper of the Week after recording seven saves in a 2-0 win against No. 14 Tulsa.
Former Worcester Hydra defender Chris Ager claimed the ACC Player of the Week award after he scored two goals in Boston College’s season-opening victory against Boston University. Ager scored the game-winner in overtime as the Eagles took a 2-1 victory against their fierce rivals.
Former Real Maryland forward Wes Sever took the Atlantic 10’s Player of the Week honor after leading George Mason to victory in the DC Cup after he scored the game-winning goal in both of the Patriots’ victories. Former West Texas Sockers defender Christopher Bush was also named the Atlantic Sun’s Defensive Player of the Week after earning Defensive MVP honors for North Florida at the Mike Gibbs Memorial Tournament.
UC Riverside’s Hayden Leslie joined Boyoko in claiming Big West honors, with the former OC Blues Strikers defender being named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week after the Highlanders earned a pair of shutout victories against Iona and Marist.
IMG Bradenton Academy’s Nick Kolarac was named co-Player of the Week in the Northeast Conference after he scored three goals in two games for St. Francis University. Fellow Bradenton standout Martin Ontiveros claimed the Southern Conference’s Player of the Week award for Furman after scoring twice to lead the Palladins to a 4-3 overtime victory against No. 22 Xavier at the Nike/Aaron Olitsky Memorial Classic.