Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Soccer's Liberati, Burgdorf, McCabe Earn NSCAA All-Region Honors
12/8/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 8, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell men's soccer's season ended nearly a month ago, but the Bison continue to add up the honors as three student-athletes were named to the 2010 NSCAA Men's Division I All-Mid-Atlantic Region Team on Wednesday. Ross Liberati (Warwick, Md./Tower Hill) and Brendan Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J./Pingry School) were both selected to the first team, while Tommy McCabe (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney) garnered third-team honors.
Liberati earns his second all-region selection after being chosen to the third team last season. Finishing his senior campaign with a career-high five goals and one assist in addition to anchoring the Bison defense, the co-captain was voted to the All-Patriot League First Team for a second consecutive year. Liberati went on claim Patriot League All-Tournament Team honors and was named the tournament MVP as he helped Bucknell record a pair of shutouts and only four shots on goal during the Patriot League Tournament. He also scored both goals in the Bison's 2-0 win over American in the championship game.
Joining Liberati on the first team was Burgdorf, the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. The sophomore forward was also a First Team All-Patriot League selection with a team-best six goals, which were one off the Patriot League lead, and two assists. His 14 points on the season ranked third in the Patriot League as well.
A Third Team All-Region and Patriot League All-Tournament selection last year as a freshman, Burgdorf is in the hunt for yet another award this winter. The New Jersey native has been named one of 37 finalists for the Soccer News Net Player of the Year Award, which fans can vote for through Dec. 23 at Big Apple Soccer (www.bigapplesoccer.com), ChicagoLand Soccer News (www.chicagolandsoccernews.com), LA Soccer News (www.lasoccernews.com), New England Soccer News (www.newenglandsoccernews.com), Philly Soccer News (www.phillysoccernews.com) and Dallas Soccer News (www.dallassoccernews.com).
Both Liberati's goals against American came on assists from McCabe, who earned his first all-region citation on Wednesday. The senior midfielder led Bucknell with 16 points on 10 assists and three goals. His 10 helpers make him just the fifth player in program history to reach double figures in that category and put him just two assists shy of Tom Roller's record, set in 1993. With 14 career assists, McCabe is tied for 10th at Bucknell. Last month, he was named to the All-Patriot League Second Team.
After placing third in the final Patriot League regular-season standings, Bucknell captured its third league title in five years with a pair of upsets in the league's year-ending tournament. The Bison went on to compete n the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history where they fell in overtime at Penn in the first round. Bucknell finished the season 10-9-2.
