Indiana University Athletics
Ring, Alston Earn NSCAA All-Region Honors
12/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 11, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Senior midfielder Brad Ring and junior defender Kevin Alston were named to the 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division I All-Great Lakes Region team, the NSCAA announced today.
Ring was a first-team pick for the second-straight season, while Alston was a second-team selection for his first career honor.
Despite missing six games due to injury, Ring started all 17 matches played with one goal and one assist on 51 shots, earning first team All-Big Ten accolades. His lone goal this season came in a 3-0 win over No. 14 Michigan in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The defensive midfielder play a key role in seven of the Hoosiers' shutouts this season, including six against ranked opponents. Ring was also an Academic All-Big Ten selection.
A top prospect for the professional ranks, Ring is one of 65 players college seniors invited to the 2009 Major League Soccer Player Combine. The annual player combine will be held at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Jan. 9-13, 2009. The 2009 MLS SuperDraft will be held on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, in St. Louis, Mo.
Alston is coming off his most successful season in a Hoosier uniform, starting all 24 matches and recording three goals and one assist. Alston scored Indiana's first goal of the year in a 2-1 win over Duke in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic and got the scoring started in a 3-1 win over then-No. 9 Notre Dame on Oct. 16. His third goal of the season came in a 2-0 victory over No. 23 Saint Louis in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Big Ten coaches rewarded Alston's play with a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team. He was part of 10 Indiana shutouts this season, including eight against ranked opponents.
Indiana ended the 2008 season with a 14-7-3 record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. Indiana's record included a mark of 7-2-2 against opponents ranked in the adidas/NSCAA Top 25 and an appearance in the Big Ten Tournament title game for the fourth straight season.
