KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The NAIA All-America team was announced on Saturday, and American Mideast Conference Player of the Year
Luke Holmes was named to the Second Team. (
NAIA All-America teams)
The honorees were chosen by the NAIA Men's Soccer All-America Selection Committee. There are three teams in addition to an honorable mention list. In addition to Holmes, another Falcon was honored by the committee, with
Dan Knight being tabbed as an honorable mention.
Holmes, who led Notre Dame in scoring this past season with 69 points (29 goals, six assists), is a two-year member of the NDC Men’s Soccer program and hails from Oldham, England. The 5-foot-8 speedster was the sparkplug of a Falcon scoring machine that led the nation in goals, with a program-record 95, en route to a 16-4-2 season. Holmes was instrumental in a dominant offense that led NDC to its second straight AMC title and an appearance in the NAIA National Championship Tournament for a second consecutive year.
The sophomore striker scored at least one goal in 15 of Notre Dame’s 22 matches this season and garnered four hat tricks along the way. His 29 total goals ranked second in the nation in 2009, and he now has found the back of the net 46 times in 42 collegiate games.
"Holmesy had a great season,” Said NDC Head Coach Michael “Mac” McBride. He is fully deserving of this award. However, he'd be the first one to tell you he had a first-rate supporting cast. Awards are nice, but I know that he won’t be truly happy until we win the lot and for that matter, nor will I."
Dan Knight, a sophomore defender from Abergale, Wales, was selected as an All-America honorable mention. Knight, who along with Holmes and freshman forward
Tom Mellor was named a First Team All-AMC performer in 2009, anchored a Blue & White defense that allowed just 22 goals (1.0 per match) and held foes to under 12 shots (11.6) per game. Offensively, Knight scored two goals.
“Dan led by example,” said McBride. “He certainly merited this recognition for his season's performances.”
The selection committee also tabbed senior midfielder Colin Streckmann of Simon Fraser University (B.C.) as the 2009 NAIA National Player of the Year. Streckmann led SFU to a berth in the Men’s Soccer National Championship Semifinal round and a 19-4-0 record. He compiled eight goals and seven assists (23 points) during the course of the year.
In addition to announcing its National Player of the Year and All-America teams, the NAIA also released its 2009 Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athletes. Notre Dame’s
George Kephart, a junior forward from Parma, Ohio, made that list.