David Goldsmith, Butler (Second Team); Julian Gressel, Providence (First Team); Alex Kapp, Creighton (Third Team)
Gressel, Goldsmith and Kapp Named NSCAA All-Americans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A trio of BIG EAST men’s soccer standouts were named to the NSCAA Division I All-America Teams as announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association of American on Friday. Providence midfielder/forward Julian Gressel was named to the first team. Butler forward David Goldsmith was voted to the second team and Creighton keeper Alex Kapp on the third team.
This year’s NSCAA NCAA Division I Men’s All-America Teams feature a total of 36 players, who will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the NSCAA All-America Luncheon on Jan. 14, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in conjunction with the 2017 NSCAA Convention.
In addition to Friday’s All-America Teams announcement, the 2016 NSCAA NCAA Division I Men’s All-Region Teams were announced on Dec. 6.
Seventeen BIG EAST men’s soccer players were honored.
Both Goldsmith and Gressel are semifinalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the highest individual award administered by the NSCAA , and presented annually at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Goldsmith is one of 15 semifinalists nationally. The duo shared BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Gressel is one of 12 players named to the NSCAA All-America First Team. He is the first First-Team All-America selection for the program since Ryan Maduro in 2006, and the third Friar to be selected to the First Team all-time. A unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST first team, Gressel led the Friars to their second NCAA Elite Eight appearance in the last three seasons, finishing with a team and a career high 36 points on 15 goals and six assists. Gressel also tallied five-game winning goals, including the lone goal in the Friars’ 1-0 defeat of St. John’s to capture the program’s first BIG EAST regular season title.
The senior added nine points in NCAA Tournament play, with four goals and one assist. Gressel finished his career ranked second all-time at Providence in career goals (30), career assists (26), and career points (86).
Goldsmith, a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST first team, was the leading scorer on the 2016 BIG EAST champions, earning BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player honors as Butler captured the BIG EAST title with wins over Villanova and Creighton. The team captain led Butler to its first BIG EAST title. Goldsmith finished the season with 12 goals and 28 points, and spent much of the season ranked in the Top 10 nationally in scoring. Earlier this season, he was named the National Player of the Week by the NCAA, NSCAA, College Soccer News, and Top Drawer Soccer for his performance in two matches during the Akron Invitational.
Kapp, the BIG EAST Co-Goalkeeper of the Year, made the most of his opportunity in Omaha as a graduate transfer, posting seven shutouts and helping guide the Bluejays to the third round of the NCAA Tournament during his lone season at Creighton. Kapp recorded 78 saves and a 0.84 goals against average. He allowed more than one goal only twice during 23 starts. During conference play, Kapp had two clean sheets and ranked second in the league with a 0.85 goals against average.