JULES, KESSIE NAMED ALL-NEW ENGLAND

RINDGE, N.H. (December 12, 2005) – A pair of American International College men’s soccer players were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division II All-New England Team released last week.  Senior Akill Jules (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad) was a First Team selection, while freshman Benard Kessie (Worcester, Mass.) was named to the Second Team.

Jules, a two-time Northeast-10 All-Conference selection who garnered First Team honors this season, started all 19 games for the Yellow Jackets and led the team in scoring for a second straight season with six goals and five assists for 17 points.  Four of his six goals on the season were game-winners, and he was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Week on October 3 following a 2-1 win over Southern New Hampshire, the first win over the Penmen in the history of the program.

Kessie, who was also named to the NE-10’s Second Team, led American International with seven goals and also added an assist to rank second on the squad with 15 points.  Kessie started his career off on the right foot with a hat trick in his first collegiate game on August 30 against Assumption and earned Northeast-10 Freshman of the Week honors the following Tuesday.  He also had a goal and an assist in a late-season match at Saint Anselm.

American International captured the first postseason championship in the history of the program November 12 when it defeated C.W. Post 1-0 to capture the 2005 ECAC Division II championship.  The Yellow Jackets also made their third appearance in the Northeast-10 Tournament in school history, going 11-6-2 to establish a school record for victories.