Six Bison placed on CCC Men's Soccer All-Conference Team
DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Pat Gaumond (Holden, Mass.) headlines the list of six Nichols College men's soccer student-athletes named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) All-Conference Teams.
Gaumond was named to the CCC First Team while classmates Scott Palmerino (Southbridge, Mass.) and Fred Willard (Webster, Mass.), along with junior Phil Mitto (Windsor, Conn.), garnered Second Team accolades. Junior captain Michael Perry (Plainville, Mass.) and sophomore Christian Cole (Gaithersburg, Md.), were each named to the Honorable Mention squad.
Gamound played more of a defensive midfield for the Bison this year. He racked up five points (2-1-3) in 17 matches – including a pair of goals in a win against Salem State in early October. The 2010 CCC Rookie of the Year, this marks Gaumond's third time earning postseason honors as he was an Honorable Mention as both a freshman and sophomore.
Palmerino leads the Bison in goals (eight) and points (19) – good for sixth in the conference in both categories – heading into Saturday's CCC Quarterfinal match with Endicott at 1 p.m. at Vendetti Field. Earlier this season, Palmerino was named the CCC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten and nationally-ranked Gordon on Homecoming Weekend.
Willard – the reigning CCC Offensive Player of the Week – leads the Bison and ranks fifth in the conference with five assists. He ranks second on the team in both goals (four) and points (13). This is the second-consecutive year that Willard has received postseason honors; last fall, he was named to the Honorable Mention Team.
A CCC First Team selection last season, Mitto helped anchor a Bison backfield that finished second in the conference in goals allowed (13), behind only regular season champion Gordon (11).
Perry sits third on the team in goals (three), assists (two), and points (eight) – all while being a solid force in the middle of the field. Perry potted the game-winning goal against Endicott last week when he fired a free kick from 25 yards out into the back of the net. Cole, meanwhile, earned his first postseason award by helping the Bison allow the fewest goals in conference play (seven).
"Having six guys as conference all-stars is very exciting," said Nichols ninth-year head coach Chris Traina. "Those guys earned those spots. They weren't just handed to them. It is a very competitive conference from top to bottom and I thought we could have had a couple more guys recognized, but it just demonstrates the quality of the student-athletes in the CCC."
Gordon senior Andrew Vandervoort and Roger Williams senior Trevor Hoxsie shared Offensive Players of the Year honors while Western New England senior Kevin Parma was named Defensive Player of the Year. Gordon freshman Caleb Cole was tabbed CCC Rookie of the Year while his head coach, Derek Potteiger, received Coach of the Year. The Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year was Trevor Hinshaw of Gordon.
