Aug. 6, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky junior goalkeeper Callum Irving has been voted preseason All-Conference USA by the league coaches, it was announced by the conference office Wednesday morning.
A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Irving earned All-Conference USA First Team honors in 2013 after netting the starting goalkeeper position early in September. He started 16 of the team’s 20 games, including starts in the last 13 matches of the season. In the 16 matches in the net, Irving allowed just 18 goals, while owning a goals against average of 1.09. He collected 46 saves and six shutouts, which ranked ninth in program history. Irving was a key piece of the team reaching the semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament, as he was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Irving became just the second All-Conference USA First Team goalkeeper in school history and the first since Andy Gruenebaum in 2005. Through his first two seasons, Irving has played in 19 games with 53 saves and seven shutouts.
The Wildcats were picked to finish sixth in the preseason C-USA soccer poll, while New Mexico was selected to repeat as the regular season champions. UAB’s Freddy Ruiz was voted as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year and South Carolina’s Mahamoudou Kaba as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Kentucky will open its 2014 season with two exhibition matches, including an Aug. 17 game at Northern Kentucky and a home tune up vs. Georgia State on Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. ET at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
2014 Preseason C-USA Men’s Soccer Poll
1. New Mexico (7)
2. Charlotte (1)
3. UAB (1)
4. Old Dominion
5. South Carolina
6. Kentucky
7. FIU
8. Marshall
9. Florida Atlantic
(#) – designates first-place votes
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Freddy Ruiz, F, UAB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Mahamoudou Kaba, D, South Carolina
2014 Preseason All-Conference USA Men’s Soccer Team
Kyle Parker, F, Charlotte
Quentin Albrecht, F, FIU
Callum Irving, GK, Kentucky
Matthew Gibbons, D, New Mexico
Ben McKendry, MF, New Mexico
Mahamoudou Kaba, D, South Carolina
Braeden Troyer, D, South Carolina
Alex Clay, MF, UAB
Darion Copeland, D, UAB
Diego Navarette, F, UAB
Freddy Ruiz, F, UAB
