PRESQUE ISLE — Coming off their most successful season in recent memory, the Northern Maine Community College Falcons soccer team is rejoicing in news that two of their own have been named first team All-Americans by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
Lucas Ireland of Mapleton and Sam Petrie of Old Town, both second-year NMCC students, are among 15 players from schools throughout the nation named top players by the USCAA. The national athletic association provides quality athletic competition on a regional and national level for smaller institutions of higher learning and their student-athletes.
To be nominated as an All-American, student athletes must play in a sport recognized by the USCAA with a championship tournament and participate in a minimum of 60 percent of contests. Each player is ranked in comparison to other candidates nominated by coaches from other schools. The best all-around players are designated as All-Americans.
“This is a very impressive honor for our student-athletes and for the entire NMCC campus community,” said NMCC President Tim Crowley. “Our soccer team has enjoyed an outstanding season and the team has been a great ambassador for our institution. We are very proud of their accomplishments.”
In addition to honoring Athletic All-Americans, the USCAA also names Academic All-Americans. To qualify at a two-year institution, student athletes must be in their second year and attain a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Ireland, who was also named an Academic All-American by USCAA, played midfield for the Falcons this year, a change from his position as a defensive marker last season.
“It is a great honor to be selected to the All-American team. It means a lot to be recognized. I definitely could not have achieved this honor without the support of Coach Krul or my teammates. They deserve as much credit as I do,” said Ireland. “I’m very proud to represent NMCC and the community.”
Petrie, a standout goalie for Old Town High School, became one of the top goalies in the Yankee Small College Conference last season and only grew stronger in the net for the Falcons this year.
“I am very honored to receive this award. I am pleased that the coaches felt I did a good job this season. Coach Krul has worked hard with this team. I think it must be very difficult to have so many new players every year, but he uses our strengths to bring out the best in each of us,” said Petrie. “The play of my teammates helped me get this award. We had a great season!”
Ireland, Petrie and Trent Legassie of Presque Isle served as tri-captains for the team. Legassie, who came up just shy of being named an All-American, was honored by the Yankee Small College Conference with the Outstanding Defensive Player award for tournament play.
The honors for the Falcons come on the heels of the team’s most successful season since well-known County soccer figure Robbie Krul took over as coach five years ago. The team finished the regular season with a conference record of four wins, three losses and no ties, and what many consider to be the “Cinderella” story of the conference.
The Falcons beat Vermont Technical College in the YSCC semifinals before falling to New Hampshire Technical Institute in the championship.
Contributed photo
ALL-AMERICANS – Sam Petrie of Old Town, left, and Lucas Ireland of Mapleton were recently named All-Americans in soccer by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
