Franklin Pierce Places Two on ESPN The Magazine Academic District I College Division Men’s Soccer Team
Miller, McColl first Ravens selected since 2002, 11th and 12th selections in program history
RINDGE, N.H. (November 30, 2004) - Two members of the Franklin Pierce men's soccer team earned spots on the ESPN The Magazine Academic District I College Division Men's Soccer Teams as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The teams are selected by sports information directors from New England and New York in all three NCAA Divisions as well as the NAIA.
Seniors Kyle Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) and Troy McColl (Sydney, Australia) are the program's first selections since 2002 when former two-time Academic All-District honorees Wolfgang Koschnitzki and Chris Schwarz picked up their second-straight awards. Miller and McColl are the 11th and 12th Academic All-District honorees in program history after picking up the first awards of their careers.
Miller, a four-year starter in the Ravens defensive unit, has earned a 3.31 cumulative grade point average in environmental science at the College. While he has earned his first Academic All-District honor of his career, Miller is a two-time All-Northeast-10 pick, an NSCAA Scholar All-Region honoree and also earned a spot on the inaugural NE-10 All-Academic team this fall.
The two-year captain has been an integral part of a Franklin Pierce defensive unit that yielded just 1.20 goals per match over his four years as a starter with 32 shutouts. He has also registered three goals (two match-winners) and seven assists for 13 points while playing 80 of a possible 81 matches in his career.
This season, Miller and the back line had a record setting season. The team set a program record with 16 shutouts, shattering the previous record of ten set by Franklin Pierce's lone Final Four team in 1991. The team ranked third in the NE-10 with a 0.65 team goals against average this fall, breaking the program record for fewest goals allowed as its 16 goals against are three below of the previous record of 19 set in 1995. Miller also dished four assists, one coming on a match-winning goal, to lead all Ravens defenders with four points.
McColl, a two-year starter since transferring from North Country Community College in upstate New York, has also recorded a 3.31 cumulative GPA while majoring in sports management. He earned All-Northeast-10 honors for the second-straight season this fall after moving into the midfield after playing more of a defensive role in 2003. McColl was also named to the inaugural NE-10 All-Academic squad this year and was named to the All-Tournament team at the NCAA Division II New England Regional.
This fall, McColl tied for second on the team with eight assists (3rd NE-10) to go with two goals for 12 points in 23 matches. He finished with five goals and 11 assists for 21 points over his two-year career.
Franklin Pierce (16-6-2, 10-3 NE-10) earned an NCAA Division II Tournament bid for the second-straight season this fall and tenth time in program history. The Ravens advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinal round for the first time since 1995 after claiming its first New England Regional title with a 3-1 victory over No. 3-ranked Southern Connecticut State University in a penalty shootout after the two sides played to a 2-2 draw through 110 minutes. Franklin Pierce also reached the Northeast-10 Championship match for the first time since joining the Conference in 2000.