FOUR FIGHTING TIGERS NAMED TO ALL-MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM, VENDITTI NAMED LEAGUE PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR

SUNY Cobleskill senior defender Phil Venditti, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School, has been named the 2006 Mountain Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Player-of-the-Year by the league’s coaches. Three of Venditti’s Fighting Tiger teammates; senior striker Hugh Campbell, Bronx, NY, Evander Childs High School, senior midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School, and freshman goalkeeper Abdou Seck, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, also garnered spots on the All-MVC Team. For Campbell and Francillon it was their second straight season earning all-league acclaim. The Fighting Tigers closed the 2006 campaign with the best single season record in program history with 15-2-1 overall record including a 5-1 mark versus league opponents good for second place in the conference standings.

Venditti was the driving force behind a Fighting Tiger defense that recorded 11 shutouts during the season allowing only nine goals in 18 contests for a 0.50 goals against average the best in the history of the SUNY Cobleskill program. The Siena College transfer also an offensive contributor during the season with a goal and two assists during the 2006 campaign.

Throughout the season Hugh Campbell proved to be an explosive offensive force for the Fighting Tigers. A powerful player with excellent speed Campbell scored 13 goals and had six assists on the year to lead the team in scoring with 32 total points to earn all-league honors for the second consecutive season.

In the midfield Gilbert Francillon was a key reason for the Fighting Tigers’ 2006 success providing defensive presence and potent offensive firepower. During the season the two-time all-conference selection scored 10 goals and passed out eight assists during the season for a total of 28 total points.

In the nets, few enjoyed a rookie campaign that freshman Abdou Seck posted for the Fighting Tigers as the Bronx, NY resident posted 10 shutouts during the year while allowing only eight goals in 16 appearances for a goals against average of 0.50. Seck was instrumental in the Fighting Tigers advancement in the Region III Tournament this year stopping three shots in a shootout versus Mohawk Valley Community College in the tournament’s quarterfinal round to give Cobleskill a 3-1 edge and the right to advance to the semifinal round.

For his team’s accomplishments during the season, Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz was named the 2006 Mountain Valley Conference Coach-of-the-Year. Since taking the helm of the program four years ago, Szmarz’s teams have posted a 35-25-4 overall record advancing to post season play in 2005 and 2006. The Fighting Tiger mentor was also honored by the league as the conference’s Co-Coach-of-the-Year in 2005.