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AU Men’s Soccer Vaults Into National Rankings
Eagles receive national recognition after 5-1 start

Larry McDonald and the men's soccer team moved into all three national polls after capturing the Penn State/Nike Classic.

Sept. 16, 2002

WASHINGTON — After capturing its second tournament of the season, American University’s men’s soccer squad has entered the national rankings in the four major national polls. AU is currently 5-1 with victories over nationally-ranked squads Boston College and Penn State. The Eagles won the D.C. College Cup and the Penn State/Nike Classic.

After a one-week hiatus, American returned to the NSCAA/adidas national poll in the No. 12 spot. In the Soccertimes.com poll, the Eagles enter the poll this week in the No. 21 spot. AU is also ranked No. 22 in the Soccer America poll and No. 25 in the College Soccer News poll. In the NSCAA/adidas regional rankings, the Eagles are currently second in the South Atlantic Region.

Last weekend, AU won the Penn State/Nike Classic by defeating Ohio State in the first match, 2-1, and then defeating the host Nittany Lions by the same 2-1 margin in the final game. UConn dealt AU its only loss of the season at the UConn/adidas Classic the previous weekend. The Eagles rebounded from the defeat to knock off Boston College and claim second place in the tournament.

American has also gathered individual honors this season. Sophomore midfielder Shawn Kuykendall (Fairfax, Va./Madison) was named the Patriot League Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for Sept. 16 after being named Tournament MVP of the Penn State/Nike Classic. He also was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week for Sept. 15.

Senior back Larry McDonald (Waddel Village, Trinidad/Presentation) earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 9. He was named Tournament MVP of the D.C. College Cup after the Eagles posted two shutouts in the tournament. McDonald earned a spot on the Soccer America Team of the Week for Aug. 30-Sept. 2.

AU begins a three-game homestand on Wednesday as the Eagles face Old Dominion at
3 p.m. on Reeves Field. American also plays Virginia Commonwealth this Saturday at 1 p.m.

American University is beginning its second year of membership in the Patriot League. In its inaugural year it captured league championships in men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis, and regular-season titles in men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse. The University fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program, featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men.