Nugent, Veris Named OSU Co-MVPs at Banquet – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 20, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Seniors Kevin Nugent and Kyle Veris shared Ohio State’s 2005 Most Valuable Player Award as the Buckeye men’s soccer team held its annual postseason banquet Friday in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State announced its team awards and celebrated a season that saw the Buckeyes (11-8-2, 3-2-1 Big Ten) finish second in the Big Ten regular season and advance to the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the last six years.
The 2005 senior class of Ray Burse Jr. (Prospect, Ky./St. Xavier), Nugent (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville), Reid Traeger (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) and Veris (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville/Akron) was honored for helping lead Ohio State to 38 wins over the last four years, which is tied for fourth among OSU’s all-time winningest classes.
In addition, Veris and Burse were recognized for being selected in the MLS SuperDraft Friday afternoon. Both were taken in the third round and are the highest drafted Buckeyes in program history at No. 25 and No. 30 overall.
Nugent, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree, led Ohio State in scoring with 20 points from eight goals and four assists. Four of his goals were game-winners, including in the Buckeyes’ last two wins of the season that propelled them into the NCAA tournament. Veris (1 goal, 1 assist) earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for the second-consecutive year and again was the leader in a talented OSU defense.
Traeger received the Linda Daniel Most Inspirational Player Award after having his most successful season as a Buckeye in 2005, his fifth year in the program. He played in 18 games and scored two goals, including the game-winner to beat Cal State Fullerton Sept. 16 and then scored the first goal in an eventual 2-2 tie at No. 6 Indiana Oct. 23. Junior Brent Rohrer (Springfield, Ohio/Catholic) and sophomore Xavier Balc (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) shared the Coaches Award. Rohrer, a defensive midfielder who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, played in all 21 games despite being slowed by injures, while Balc ranked second on the team in scoring with 18 points and was responsible for Ohio State’s last eight goals of the season.
Freshmen Danny Irizarry (Lawrenceville, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian) and Geoff Marsh (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) shared the Most Improved Player Award. Both played their way into the starting lineup by the end of the season and their quick maturation help propel the Buckeyes to another late-season surge.
### GO BUCKS! ###
