Indiana University Athletics
Trio Honored By Soccer America (1-13-04)
1/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Honors for the national champion Indiana men's soccer team continue to pour in. Soccer America named Jerry Yeagley its Coach of the Year and chose Danny O'Rourke and Ned Grabavoy as members of its Collegiate MVP Team, the publication announced late Monday.
O'Rourke and Grabavoy are two of the 11 players Soccer America selected as Men's MVPs for 2003. Indiana was the only school with more than one player to appear on the list. Hoosier co-captains, O'Rourke and Grabavoy were two of three unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selections this season and led IU to a sixth national championship.
O'Rourke, a defensive midfielder, showed great leadership down the stretch during the Hoosiers' run to the title. The Columbus, Ohio, native helped IU shut down two of the nation's most potent offenses in Virginia Commonwealth and UCLA during NCAA play, and was selected to the College Cup All-Tournament team. O'Rourke made the Great Lakes All-Region first team in 2003, and has started all 50 matches he has played in during his Indiana career. In addition, the junior earned Academic All-District accolades this season.
Grabavoy, who recently signed with Major League Soccer as a part of its Nike-Project 40 class, led the Hoosiers in scoring with 33 points on 11 goals and 11 assists. He was one of only three unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selections and appeared on the list of 15 semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. Grabavoy earned first-team All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches'Assocation of America and was also recognized as an All-American by College Sports Television and College Soccer News. The junior missed four matches on Indiana's NCAA Tournament run while playing with the United States U-20 Team in the United Arab Emirates, but returned for the national title match against St. John's and scored the first goal in the 16th minute.
Yeagley, the NCAA Division I all-time wins leader, won a sixth national championship in his final game at the helm of the Hoosiers. The legendary coach had announced his plans to retire following the 2003 season. Despite a 2-3-4 start, the worst in school history, Yeagley's troops manufactured the best turnaround in school history. The Hoosiers were unbeaten in their last 16 games to finish the season with a 17-3-5 record. Yeagley closed his career with a 544-101-45 record in 31 seasons at IU, a program he directed from 1963-1972 as a club sport before guiding it to varsity status in 1973.
2003 Soccer America's Men's MVPs
Ryan Cochrane (Santa Clara) Jr. D
Ned Grabavoy (Indiana) Jr. F
Leo Griffin (UCLA) Sr. D
William Hesmer (Wake Forest) Sr. G
Vedad Ibisevic (St. Louis) Fr. F
Trevor McEachron (ODU) Jr. D
Joseph Ngwenya (Coastal Carolina) Sr. F*
Sumed Ibrahim (Maryland) Sr. M
Danny O'Rourke (Indiana) Jr. M
Matt Taylor (UCLA) Sr. F
Chris Wingert (St. John's) Sr. D
* Soccer America Player of the Year
