Trio of UAlbany Men's Soccer Named to All-Northeast Region Men's Soccer Team

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Kansas City, Kan. – University at Albany men’s soccer players Steward Ceus (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland), Claudio Dantas (Orlando, Fla./Crystal Lake/Jefferson) and Erik DiLorenzo (Bolton, Ontario/Robert F. Hall C.S.S.) were all named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region Team. The three honorees matches a program record.

Ceus, a four-year starting goalkeeper, was named to the first team. He was also honored as the America East Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and landed on the all-conference first team. The senior co-captain eclipsed Division I program records for career shutouts (19) and saves (329). His .859 save percentage, 0.97 goals against average and seven shutouts this season were all career bests. He ranks fourth in the country in saves per game (5.93) and eighth in save percentage. Ceus earned a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week and was also the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week and the America East player of the week this fall. In addition, the goalkeeeper was a three-time member of the America East Conference All-Academic Team for his work in the classroom.

Dantas, a forward who was named the program’s first America East Conference Striker of the Year, was named to the second team. The junior transfer from Jefferson College paced the nation’s fifth-ranked offense with nine goals and 10 assists. His 28 points led America East and is a Division I single-season program record, bettering the 22 points Nick Southworth totaled in 2000. Dantas’ nine goals matches the Division I single-season standard set by Southworth, and his 10 assists equals the single-season standard for

all divisions set by Ed Campbell in 1968 and matched by Bryan Grabon in 2000. The two-time junior college All-American ranks eighth in the nation with 0.56 assists per game. Dantas also garnered America East co-player of the week laurels.

DiLorenzo, a four-year starting defender and two-year captain, garnered a spot on the third team. He anchored a defense that averaged 0.56 shutouts per game, a mark that ranks 10th nationally. DiLorenzo also recorded one goal and five assists, and sparked the largest comeback in the program’s Division I era in a 5-4 win over UMBC. In addition, DiLorenzo was voted to the league's all-championship squad for his performance in the conference tournament.

UAlbany posted a 12-4-2 overall record this past fall, which matched a Division I program record set in 2004. The Great Danes’ seven-game unbeaten streak before suffering a 1-0 double overtime loss to Binghamton in the semifinal round of the conference tournament was a new school standard on the NCAA’s highest stage.