Loras 4, St. Norbert 0

St. Norbert enters 2008 as the defending Midwest Conference Men’s Soccer champion, but the team who knocked the Green Knights off in last year’s conference tournament enters as the league’s unanimous favorite according to the 2008 MWC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll. Rick Mobley’s (right) Carroll squad received all nine possible first-place votes to top the poll, while St. Norbert received the remaining first-place nod to edge Grinnell for second in the poll by a single vote.

Beloit followed Grinnell in fourth, while Lake Forest filled out the top 5. Lawrence edged Ripon and was picked to finish sixth, leaving Monmouth, Knox and Illinois College to round out the poll’s final three spots in order.

Click here for complete release

Lawrence student-athlete Benjamin Glover (right) has been chosen as an Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholar Award. The award is presented by the magazine Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, and Glover was a first-team selection in track and field. Glover, who competes in the high jump, long jump and triple for the Lawrence track team, also plays midfield on the Vikings' soccer team. A senior from Accra, Ghana, Glover sports a 3.578 grade point average and is a biology and chemistry interdisciplinary major.

The Sports Scholar Award is named for Arthur Ashe, who died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1993 after contracting the disease from a blood transfusion following double-bypass surgery. Before his untimely death at the age of 49, Ashe already had an impressive academic, athletic, social and civil rights résumé. Ashe was a pioneer in tennis, becoming the first African-American man to win the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon.

Glover, who was one of 17 athletes named to the first team but one of only five from NCAA Division III institutions, is an Academic All-Midwest Conference selection in both soccer and track and field. A Dean's List student at Lawrence, Glover recently won the college's Campus Life Award, given to a senior in recognition of service and leadership, and the John H. Scidmore Memorial Award, given to a senior man who best exemplifies the characteristics of academic diligence, service to campus groups, and interest in and loyalty to classmates. Glover also has won the African Heritage Leadership Award and the United States Achievement Academy Collegiate Minority Leadership Award.

Click here for complete release

After doubling the size of the men’s soccer roster at Illinois College over the past three seasons, head coach Shane Taylor (right) will take on additional duties this fall as head coach of the women’s soccer team.

In announcing the dual appointment, Illinois College Athletic Director Gale Vaughn said Taylor’s enthusiasm for the sport, coupled with his successful recruiting efforts, made him the clear choice for the job.

Under Taylor’s guidance the Blueboy men’s soccer team added 12 new freshmen in 2007 and 13 more in 2006. There were 14 players on the roster when he inherited the program prior to the start of the 2005 season, and he completed the 2007 campaign with a 29-member roster.

The IC soccer coach earned the B.A. degree in organizational management at Ashford University and played soccer at the semi pro level in Las Vegas after completing his intercollegiate career at Bethany ( Kan.) College and East Stroudsburg ( Pa.) University.

Click here for complete release

St. Norbert athletics direc tor Tim Bald has announced the hiring of Andy Steger as head men’s soccer coach on February 21.

Steger arrives at St. Norbert from Burling ton High School, where he has spent the last five seasons as the boys’ soccer coach and four seasons as the girls’ soccer coach. Prior to his stint at Burling ton, Steger was the boys’ and girls’ soccer coach for seven years at Green Bay Preble High School.

In thirteen seasons as a head boys’ high school coach, Steger has registered a 161-125-26 record with three state tournament appearances. In twelve years heading up girls’ prep programs, Steger is 131-121-29 with two state tournament appearances.

Click here for complete release