Western New England Senior Trio Named to NSCAA All-New England Region Men's Teams
Complete NSCAA All-New England Teams
KANSAS CITY, Kan.--The National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Monday announced that three senior Western New England University men's soccer student-athletes have been selected to the NSCAA/Continental Tire All-New England Region teams. Back Kevin Parma was named to the region's South First Team while forward Jake Bartnik and goalkeeper Domenick Villano both made the South second unit.
"We are very pleased that Kevin, Dom and Jake have received all-region recognition as they were undoubtedly among the finest soccer players in New England this past season," stated Western New England coach Erin Sullivan. "Their competitive mentality, elite athleticism, and innate ability to perform in the clutch lifted our team to a championship season and an opportunity to represent our great conference on the national stage. They are part of a senior class that has left an indelible mark on our program as consummate competitors, leaders and winners, and they will always be remembered as true champions."
A team co-captain, Parma (Peconic, N.Y./Southold High School) adds to his season trophy case that already includes two-time Capital One Academic All-America NCAA Division III First Team honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America, 2013 Commonwealth Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Division III Corvias Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3 and similar honors from the CCC twice, and New England Intercollegiate Soccer League All-Star Game invitee. The accounting and finance major scored two goals to wrap up his four-year career that included eight goals and 20 points while starting in 80 of 91 games played.
Bartnik, of East Longmeadow (Mass.) High School, joined Parma on the All-CCC First Team after leading the Golden Bears with career highs of 12 goals, 24 points, eight game-winning tallies and 55 shots. The criminal justice major ranked second in the conference in game-winners, third in goals and fourth in total points. He was the ECAC New England Division III Corvias Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 3) and twice named the CCC Offensive Player of the Week (Sep. 30, Nov. 11). He ends his career as the Golden Bears' 13th all-time leading scorer with 62 points, including 27 goals for a seventh-place tie.
A team co-captain out of Bronxville, N.Y. (Tuckahoe HS), Villano helped Parma key a defense that allowed just 0.88 goals per game and led the CCC with 12 shutouts. The second-team all-conference and NEISL All-Star choice established career highs across the statistical board. He led the CCC with 11 shutouts, 2235 minutes and 34 seconds between the posts, 16 victories, and was second with 32 saves and .863 save percentage. He also ranked third in the conference with a 0.85 goals-against average, which was the second-lowest of his career. The marketing communications/advertising major was the defensive player of the week by ECAC New England (Nov. 14) and the CCC (Oct. 28, Nov. 11). He leaves as the program's career leader with 22 shutouts.
This marks the first coaches' all-region citation for all three players. Parma advances to the NSCAA All-America ballot.
Western New England, which was second among CCC teams with the most NSCAA selections, won its fifth CCC championship since entering the conference in 2007, earned the programs eighth NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship berth, and finished No. 24 in the final NSCAA regular-season rankings.
