ELON, N.C. – Elon men’s soccer players Clint Irwin, Steven Kinney and Justin Wyatt were named to the 2009 Division I National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region Team. Irwin, in his inaugural selection, became the first-ever Elon player to receive first-team recognition. Kinney and Wyatt both made their third straight appearance on the second team in their final season in the maroon and gold.
Irwin was one of three Southern Conference members on the first team. The SoCon was the only conference represented on the first team other than the Atlantic Coast Conference. Irwin had an outstanding season in goal for the Phoenix, recording a school-record tying 10 shutouts while leading Elon to its first-ever appearance in the league title game. The junior tied Elon’s career mark with 19 shutouts and led the conference in both clean slates and goals against average (0.88). Irwin, a native of Charlotte, N.C., earned first-team All-SoCon honors in 2009.
Kinney recently became the first Elon player to receive an invitation to the Major League Soccer Player Combine after a stellar senior season. The defender was an integral part of Elon’s 10 shutouts in 2009. Kinney was no stranger to the net, scoring three goals and assisting on two others this past year. The native of Norcross, Ga. was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III first team and went on to earn Academic All-America status. Kinney was selected to the all-conference first team for the third consecutive year.
Wyatt left a lasting mark in the Elon record books, ending his career second all-time in goals (31) and points (79). He shares the single-season mark with 13 strikes and 33 points accomplished in 2008. Wyatt knocked in a team-best four game-winning goals in 2009 and was named first-team all-league for a third straight season. The Raleigh, N.C. native was second on the team in goals (5) and assists (5) as a senior.
Elon finished the 2009 season with a 10-8-2 mark and advanced to the Southern Conference Tournament championship game for the first time in school history.
