Nov. 13, 2002

For Immediate Release November 13, 2002 Contact: Aaron Jordan (jordana@uab.edu)

ST. LOUIS, Mo. ------ Conference USA announced its 2002 all-league teams and postseason award winners today in St. Louis, site of the Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament. UAB (9-6-3, 4-4-2 C-USA), who is the 6th seed in the tournament, was rewarded with four players named to all-conference teams, including three to the first team.

Sophomore goalkeeper Clint Baumstark, who was the 2001 C-USA freshman of the year, was named to the first team. Baumstark was also named to the U.S. Under-20 National Team earlier in the season. He ranks third in the conference in shutouts (4), goals allowed average (1.02) and ranks in the top-10 in all other goalkeeper statistics.

Joining Baumstark is senior forward Flavio Monteiro and junior midfielder Marin Pusek. Monteiro is the team leader in goals (7), points (17) and shots (33). He ranks in the C-USA top-10 in points, points per game, goals and goals per game. Pusek is one of the top playmakers in the conference. He leads UAB with seven assists on the campaign, and ranks fifth in C-USA in assists as well as assists per game.

Junior defender Tony McManus was also named to the third-team all-conference. After coming off an injury which redshirted him a season ago, McManus didn't miss a beat in 2002, stepping in this season as the Blazers' central defender. He was one of the leaders on the squad throughout the year, and is one of only two players to start and play every contest.

"I am very pleased of all four of our players earning these awards," UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "To have these guys earn the respect from around the league and to be named as an all-conference player really reflects on their hard work throughout the season. I think they were very deserving of this honor."

Louisville head coach Tony Colavecchia was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year. After a 0-3-1 start in league play, Colavecchia guided his team to a third-place finish and a berth in the C-USA Tournament by winning its final six conference contests to finish with a 6-3-1 league record

Saint Louis forward Jason Cole is the Conference USA Player of the Year. Cole, marking the third-straight year that a Saint Louis player has garnered the league's Player of the Year honor. Defenders Adrian Cann of Louisville and Steve Lawrence of Marquette were named the first-ever Conference USA Co-Defensive Players of the Year, while South Florida forward Hunter West is the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, becoming the first USF player to earn that honor

Third-seeded Louisville (8-10-2, 6-3-1) and UAB (9-6-3, 4-4-2) will kickoff on Thursday, November 14, at 8 p.m. The winner of match meets second-seeded Saint Louis (12-3-2, 7-2-1) on Friday at 8:00 p.m.

2002 CONFERENCE USA MEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

First-Team All-Conference USA

F: Jason Cole, Saint Louis

F: Hunter West, South Florida

F: Flavio Monteiro, UAB

MF: Jack Jewsbury, Saint Louis

MF: Joe Hammes, Saint Louis

MF: Marin Pusek, UAB

MF: Jeff Thwaites, South Florida

D: Adrian Cann, Louisville

D: Steve Lawrence, Marquette

D: Nick Gannon, Saint Louis

GK: Clint Baumstark, UAB

Third-Team All-Conference USA

D: Tony McManus, UAB

Freshman of the Year

Hunter West, South Florida

Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Adrian Cann, Louisville

Steve Lawrence, Marquette

Player of the Year

Jason Cole, Saint Louis

Coach of the Year

Tony Colavecchia, Louisville