July 1, 2009

2009 Atlantic 10 preseason All-Conference team

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis placed two returnees and four newcomers on the Atlantic 10 Conference's men's soccer preseason All-Conference team, as announced today by the A-10 after a vote of the league's head coaches.

Senior midfielder Kyle Hayes (St. Louis, Mo./CBC) and senior defender Tim Ream (St. Louis, Mo./St. Dominic) were named to the 11-player preseason All-Conference list. The Billikens also placed a league-high four players on the All-Rookie team - Benny Estes (Santa Margarita, Calif./ Trabuco Hills), Nick Maglasang (St. Louis, Mo./SLUH), Mark Pais (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue) and Alex Sweetin (Overland Park, Kan./Rockhurst).

"All are very deserving of this recognition, but the awards we really strive for come after the season," Billiken head coach Dan Donigan said. "We have a solid group of returning players, and getting four players on the All-Rookie team is a sign that our future is bright. We are anxious and excited about getting the season underway and are looking forward to a successful 2009 campaign."

Hayes is SLU's leading returning scorer after notching 16 points (6G, 4A) in 2008, trailing only Kyle Patterson and Brandon Barklage, both of whom are playing professionally in Major League Soccer. Hayes, who scored the game winner against Drake in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, was named to the A-10 All-Academic squad last season.

Ream has earned back-to-back All-Region honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). In addition, he has received All-Conference accolades in each of his three seasons with the Billikens, drawing second-team plaudits the last two years after earning All-Rookie recognition as a freshman. Last season, Ream helped anchor a Billiken defense that led the league in goals against average (0.76) and shutouts (11).

Maglasang, an NSCAA high school All-American, was tabbed the Missouri Class 3 Defensive Player of the Year in addition to being named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Player of the Year following his senior season. Sweetin, also a high school All-American and the brother of former Billiken Eric Sweetin, helped his squad to back-to-back state titles and was named the Missouri Class 3 Player of the Year in addition to being chosen the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year.

Estes is playing on the Pateadores' U.S. Soccer Development Academy team and leads the club with 18 goals. Pais, a goalkeeper, earned third-team All-Metro honors from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was a 2007 U.S. National Team pool player as well as a member of the Olympic Development Program in 2008.

The Billikens made their third straight and 45th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season and finished 12-5-5 overall. The team reports for preseason camp in mid August. The Bills' 2009 schedule will be released tomorrow.