Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Matlack, O'Brien, Selwood Named to Philly Soccer News Best XI Teams
12/31/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 31, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's soccer star Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport Area) and men's soccer standouts Conor O'Brien (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and Patrick Selwood (Darnestown, Md./The Heights School) have been named to the 2009 Philly Soccer News men's and women's Best XI teams, presented by the Philadelphia Independence.
Matlack was the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and a 2009 NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection in 2009.She led the Bison and ranked among the conference leaders in both goals (9) and points (20) per game (16). She was especially hot late in the season, as she had eight goals and two assists over the final nine games. In conference play, Matlack logged two-goal games in victories over Lafayette, Navy and Holy Cross.
Matlack, who also generated more shot attempts than any other player in the league, earned a spot on the all-conference first team for the second year in a row. Matlack also moved into the top 12 on Bucknell's career charts in goals, assists and points. With another year still play, she already ranks eighth in goals with 25, tied for 12th in assists with 11 and seventh in points with 61.
Matlack led the Bison women to a 10-8-1 overall record and a 5-2-0 finish in the Patriot League. It was the team's fifth straight 10-win season.
Co-captains O'Brien and Selwood both had big senior seasons for the Bison men's soccer team, which won a school-record 17 matches, claimed the Patriot League title for the second time in four years, then beat Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
An attacking midfielder and forward, O'Brien became the first Bison men's soccer player to earn NSCAA All-America honors in 33 years when he earned a Second Team citation earlier this month. He was also a First Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection and was announced as one of 15 semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, presented to the national player of the year. It was also announced that O'Brien has been invited to attend the Major League Soccer college scouting combine in January.
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O'Brien became Bucknell's fourth NSCAA All-American, and the first since Scott Strasburg earned a second-team citation in 1976. O'Brien in 2009 also became only the fourth player in Patriot League history to repeat as the league's Offensive Player of the Year. He was a First Team All-Patriot League selection after leading the league in goals (11), assists (9) and points (31).
It was O'Brien's third All-Patriot League certificate, as he was also a first-team selection in 2008 and a second-team pick as a sophomore in 2007. O'Brien had a point in 17 of the team's 23 games this season, and in 22 of 28 matches dating back to the end of the 2008 season. Seven of his 11 goals were game-winners, the most dramatic of which was his golden goal against Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.
O'Brien wrapped up a brilliant career ranked second on Bucknell's career list for assists (25), sixth in points (77) and ninth in goals (26). He is the highest scoring Bison player in the last 20 years.
Selwood's prowess came at the other end of the field, as he was one of the Patriot League's best defenders in 2009. He was named MVP of the Patriot League Tournament after leading the team to back-to-back 1-0 wins over Lafayette and American. He then helped the Bison to another 1-0 win over Princeton in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, Bucknell broke the school record for shutouts in a season with 12, with 10 of those coming by 1-0 margins.
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Selwood was a First Team All-Patriot League defender in 2009 after earning second team honors as a junior. He missed only one start in his last two seasons and was the leader of Bucknell's defense from his center back position. Selwood anchored a standout defense that had allowed only 17 goals in its first 22 games before conceding five to No. 2 Virginia in the NCAA Round of 32. Selwood was named to all-tournament teams in each of the five tournaments in which Bucknell played over the last two years, including the Nike Fall Classic, the Mayor's Cup and the Patriot League Tournament this season.
He was also a national ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection as well as an NSCAA Scholar All-East Region choice.
The Philly Soccer News college players of the year will be announced next week.
