H-SC's Plyler Rookie of the Year, VWC's Cober Scholar-Athlete

SALEM, Va. --- The annual All-ODAC Men's Soccer voting has ended and the league's top awards have been named.  Virginia Wesleyan's Brandon Massie was tabbed the ODAC Player of the Year.  Hampden-Sydney's Josh Laux and John Robert Plyler earned Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, respectively.  Virginia Wesleyan's Travis Cober earned the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete award following a vote by the league's sports information directors.

Massie, a sophomore striker, led the Marlins to a 16-3 record, 7-2 in the ODAC.  VWC entered the conference tournament as the top seed and made its way to the semifinals before they fell to Roanoke, 2-1 in double overtime.  The Marlins' regular season play was good enough to earn them a Pool C berth into the NCAA Championship Tournament.  Massie sat at the top of the conference in nearly all statistical categories including points (41), goals (16), assists (9), and game-winning goals (8).  Massie, last season's top newcomer, occupies a spot on the All-ODAC First Team for the second straight year.

Fourth year coach of the Hampden-Sydney Tigers, Josh Laux, collected his first Coach of the Year award.  He coached his Tigers to an 11-6-3 overall record, 6-1-2 in the ODAC.   His team earned the league's #2 seed heading into the conference tournament and made its way to the semifinals before falling to Washington & Lee, 2-1.  Four of Laux's athletes can be found on this year's First and Second All-ODAC teams and one of his athletes on the Honorable Mention list.

Plyler, Hampden-Sydney's goalkeeper, was an instant contributor for the Tigers in his first season of play.  He sat fourth among the conference goalkeepers in saves (72) and seventh in saves per game (4.50).  He was second in the conference for shutouts (6).

Virginia Wesleyan's Cober, a senior majoring in Liberal Arts Management with an emphasis in Business, lead a Marlin defense that only allowed eleven goals this season.  He boasts a 3.896 cumulative grade point average and has been a six-time Dean's List honoree.

Below is the entire list of the 2007 ODAC Men's Soccer All-Conference teams.

ALL ODAC FIRST TEAM

Forwards
Chris Thomas, Bridgewater
Eric Eversol, Roanoke
Brandon Massie, Virginia Wesleyan
Jack Palmer, Washington & Lee 

Midfielders
Scott Meguid, Guilford
Jason Butler, Hampden-Sydney
Nate Wilson, Roanoke
Josh Dodds, Washington & Lee 

Backs
Pat Brown, Lynchburg
Kevan Quinn, Randolph-Macon
Andy Bickel, Roanoke
Travis Cober, Virginia Wesleyan

Goalkeeper
Ted Sheedy, Washington & Lee 

ALL ODAC SECOND TEAM

Forwards
Joe Rigert, Guilford
Jason Powell, Hampden-Sydney
Will Robertson, Hampden-Sydney
Chris Williams, Randolph-Macon 

Midfielders
Junior Kamundua, Eastern Mennonite
Maurwyn Bowen, Lynchburg
Modou Jobarteh, Lynchburg
Pete Hanley, Randolph-Macon 

Backs
Chris O'Conner, Emory & Henry
Sam Turner, Hampden-Sydney
Mike Karr, Virginia Wesleyan
Fletcher McCraw, Washington & Lee 

Goalkeeper
Jackson Maust, Eastern Mennonite 

ALL-ODAC HONORABLE MENTION
Zane Lineberry, Bridgewater
Ben Yoder, Eastern Mennonite
Daniel Mills, Emory & Henry
Robbie Fisher, Guilford
Christopher Tait, Hampden-Sydney
Josh Reed, Lynchburg
Jason DePre, Randolph-Macon
Austin Rose, Roanoke
Bryan Harris, Virginia Wesleyan
Tommy Pignatelli, Washington & Lee

Player of the Year: Brandon Massie, Virginia Wesleyan
Coach of the Year: Josh Laux, Hampden-Sydney
Rookie of the Year: John Robert Plyler, Hampden-Sydney
ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete: Travis Cober, Virginia Wesleyan