Ilkka Jantti, a senior defender for the University of Kentucky men’s soccer team, received the Mid-American Conference’s highest honor when he was named the league’s Player of the Year by the conference coaches on Monday, Nov. 12. UK’s John Monebrake was named Newcomer of the Year, while Coach Ian Collins received the Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year Award, the third of his career. In addition, six Cats were selected to the All-MAC first and second teams.
“It’s great to see our players recognized for their hard work this season,” Collins said. “It’s a testament to them and the support they receive on the field from their teammates.”
UK placed the most players on the first team with four. The MAC Newcomer of the Year in 1998, Jantti has run the gamut of conference awards, leading the way with his third straight first-team selection and the program’s first player of the year honor. An All-America candidate, Jantti is tied for third on the team with 13 points on four goals and five assists. He was joined by junior Antti Peltonen, sophomore Nathan Fleetwood and Monebrake.
Peltonen, a two-time MAC Player of the Week this season, rejoined the Cats after sitting out 2000 with an abdominal injury and is tied with Jantti with 13 points.Monebrake, a junior transfer from Ohio State, leads the team in scoring with 19 points, 13 of which have come in MAC play. His eight goals also lead the team, while his three assists are tied for fifth. In 1998, Monebrake also was the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year. Fleetwood, another newcomer, is sixth on the team with 10 points.
Juniors J.D. Stephenson and Greg Raber round out the UK honorees with their second-team selections, the first All-MAC honors of their careers. Stephenson ranks fifth on the team with 11 points on four goals and three assists.
Raber, a transfer from UNC Greensboro, has seen action at goalkeeper in just nine games this season. However, in that span, the Cats are 8-1-0 and on the verge of their third consecutive MAC Tournament title and NCAA berth. He leads the MAC with a 0.44 goals-against average, second in the nation behind only Indiana’s Colin Rogers.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 17 when it plays host to the Akron Zips in the MAC Tournament Championship game. In a rematch of the regular-season finale that decided the conference champion, the winner claims the tournament title and the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex.
2001 All-Mid-American Conference
Player of the Year
Ilkka Jantti, Kentucky
Newcomer of the Year
John Monebrake, Kentucky
Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year
Ian Collins, Kentucky
First Team
GK – Kyle Milligan, Akron
F – Torbjorn Bireland, Akron
F – John Monebrake, Kentucky
F – Byron Carmichael, Marshall
D – Tony Malik, Bowling Green
D – Ilkka Jantti, Kentucky
D – Peter Agrimson, Northern Illinois
MF – Orjan Bjaneso, Akron
MF – Mike Peplinski, Buffalo
MF – Nathan Fleetwood, Kentucky
MF – Antti Peltonen, Kentucky
Second Team
GK – Greg Raber, Kentucky
F – Tim Cooper, Akron
F – Detrick Matthews, Bowling Green
F – Scott Duhl, Western Michigan*
F – Reece Richardson, Western Michigan*
D – Cameron Knowles, Akron**
D – David Senn, Akron**
D – Bill Norberg, Buffalo
D – Wayne Bennett, Marshall
D – Dennis Ahewba, Marshall**
MF – Hans Jorgen Haugland, Akron
MF – J.D. Stephenson, Kentucky
MF – Firas Al-Sammarrie, Marshall
MF – Brian Sobczak, Marshall***
MF – Mike Bravo, Western Michigan***
*/**/*** = tie
