Joyce Named NSCAA/adidas Division II Player of the Year
Jarrow, England, native first student-athlete in program history to collect award
RINDGE, N.H. (January 4, 2006) - Franklin Pierce graduate student Christopher Joyce (Jarrow, England) has been named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Player of the Year by the organization today. Joyce will be presented with the award during the NSCAA Awards Banquet on Friday, January 20, in Philadelphia, Pa.
Joyce is the first student-athlete in program history to collect National Player of the Year honors and the fifth national honor in Franklin Pierce history. He joins former women's soccer National Players of the Year Ewa Bergsten (1992), Nathalie Geeris (1994), Pauliina Auveri (1997) and Laura Hislop (2003), who all collected NSCAA Division II Women's Player of the Year accolades. Joyce is also just the second NSCAA/adidas men's soccer Player of the Year in Northeast-10 Conference history, joining former Southern New Hampshire University standout Mounir Tajiou (2003).
Joyce, the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, capped his career as the first two-time first team All-American in program history after also earning first team All-New England and first team All-Northeast-10 honors for two-straight years. He finished his final season at the College with an NCAA Division II best 67 points and 29 goals to go with an NE-10-leading nine assists.
In addition to his goal total leading the nation, Joyce's 29 markers matched the program's single-season record set by Vuckovic in 1992. He also set a school-record with a Conference-leading eight match-winning goals, while his 67 points finished just four shy of Vuckovic's school record.
Joyce registered eight multi-goal matches and five matches with five or more points. He also set a program record with two goals in a 14-second span, the third fastest consecutive goals in NCAA Division II history by one player, en route to a three goal and two assist outing against Saint Michael's College on October 15.
Joyce finished his two-year career at the College ranked fourth in program history with 51 goals, sixth with 119 points and 15th with 17 assists in 50 career matches. He led the NE-10 in scoring and goals both years at the College and set an NCAA Division II Tournament record with nine career goals and finished with a Division II record-matching 20 career points in eight career NCAA Tournament matches played. Joyce was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player in the NCAA Tournament New England Regional in 2004 and 2005 and was also selected to the All-Tournament team at the NCAA Division II Final Four this year.
Up next for Joyce is the Major League Soccer Combine January 12-15 at The Home Depot Center, in Carson, Calif., where he joins Southern Connecticut State University's Jordan Russolillo and the only two NCAA Division II players invited to the workout. The MLS SuperDraft is scheduled for Friday, January 20, in Philadelphia. Joyce hopes to become the Ravens third player in program history selected in the draft and the second in the last three years, joining former All-American Felix Brillant, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2004 SuperDraft by the New England Revolution.
Franklin Pierce (16-6-5, 10-1-2 NE-10) advanced to the National Championship match for the first time in program history before dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 1-ranked Fort Lewis (Colo.) College. The Ravens, ranked No. 2 in the final NSCAA/adidas Division II poll, reached the NCAA Division II Final Four for the second time in program history after claiming the Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship - their first Conference title since 1995.