Club Boasts MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year and Coach of the Year Finalists
Published on August 18, 2008 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
RICHMOND, VA - (Monday, August 18, 2008) - The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that midfielder Mike Burke and midfielder/defender Sascha Görres garnered USL-2 All-League First Team honors. Two-time Goalkeeper of the Year Ronnie Pascale joined defender Trevor McEachron on the All-League Second Team. Additionally, the league announced that Burke is a Finalist for the USL-2 Most Valuable Player Award while Görres is up for Defender of the Year. Midfielder Stanley Nyazamba is a Rookie of the Year Finalist while head coach Leigh Cowlishaw is in the running for Coach of the Year.
Last year's USL-2 Most Valuable Player, Burke finished his ninth season with the Kickers second on the team in scoring with seven goals and eight assists for 22 points in 2008. Earning the USL-2 Assist Leader award for the second consecutive season, he was named to the USL-2 Team of the Week four times, garnering USL-2 Player of the Week honors twice. Last season, Burke eclipsed the Kickers all-time career assists leader to hold the sole position in the franchise with 48 overall. This year, he leapfrogged into third place in the all-time career goals category with 33 and into second place in the all-time career games played category with 233. He continues to reside in third place on the Kickers all-time career points list with 114.
In his fourth season with the Kickers, Görres helped lead the team to second in the table and the league's third lowest goals allowed total at 20 on the season. He also contributed in the attack with two goals and three assists, good for fifth on the team in scoring. Splitting time between the midfield and back line, he recorded the most minutes with 2,071 in 23 games played overall. The native of Flensburg, Germany was a four-time USL-2 Team of the Week nominee and is in the running for the USL-2 Defender of the Year award. After four seasons, he has made his way into fifth place on the Kickers all-time career assists list with 20 overall.
Veteran goalkeeper Pascale tied GAA Champion Eric Reed (Cleveland) for second place in shutouts, posting seven during the regular season and adding an eighth during US Open Cup play. Keeping the opposition to just 17 goals allowed, his goals against average of 1.080 was good for fourth in the league while finishing second in goalkeeper wins at 12. A member of the Kickers since 2000 and starter since 2002, Pascale has consistently been one of the top netminders in the league, leading Richmond to three consecutive USL Championship appearances.
Meanwhile, defender Trevor McEachron made a mid-season return to the Kickers squad, earning USL-2 Player of the Week honors immediately after, leading the team to a 1-0 upset over Charlotte in May. A stalwart on the back line, McEachron played every minute of 17 games played. In his third professional season, McEachron has taken All-League honors for the first time.
Rookie of the Year Finalist, Nyazamba joined the Kickers upon graduating from Lee University of the NAIA Conference last spring. Adding 12 goals and 20 assists his senior year, the 6'1" midfielder finished with 28 goals and 44 points over three seasons, eclipsing the All-Time Assists Leader at Lee University with 60 assists overall. In his first professional season, Nyazamba quickly became one of the top scorers, tallying eight goals and two assists overall for 18 points. Good for third on the team in scoring, he also finished in the top 10 in goals and points in the USL-2.
In his ninth season at the helm, Cowlishaw narrowly missed making his fifth championship appearance in the past seven years, previously leading the Kickers to three USL Finals and taking the USL-2 title in 2006. This year, he led the Kickers to a 10-0-2 comeback run, including a 9-0-1 record at home, to conclude the Regular Season ranked second in the league (14-4-2, 44 points). A native of Burton-on-Trent, England, Cowlishaw has been an integral member of the Kickers' organization since the club's inception in 1993. As a player, he helped the Kickers win the "Double" with the US Open Cup and Premier League Championships in 1995. Off the pitch, he acts as the Richmond Kickers Vice President, Soccer Programs, providing technical direction and guidance for all levels of the Kickers organization and serving on the board of the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club.
USL-2 All-League First Team
G - Terry Boss (Charlotte Eagles)
D - Brady Bryant (Charlotte Eagles)
D - Sascha Görres (Richmond Kickers)
D - Mark Schulte (Cleveland City Stars)
D - Steve Shak (Charlotte Eagles)
M - Mike Burke (Richmond Kickers)
M - Floyd Franks (Cleveland City Stars)
M - Shintaro Harada (Crystal Palace Baltimore)
F - Jorge Herrera (Charlotte Eagles)
F - Boyzzz Khumalo (Pittsburgh Riverhounds)
F - Dustin Swinehart (Charlotte Eagles)
USL-2 All-League Second Team
G - Ronnie Pascale (Richmond Kickers)
D - Dustin Bixler (Harrisburg City Islanders)
D - Trevor McEachron (Richmond Kickers)
D - Federico Molinari (Western Mass Pioneers)
D - Dame Walters (Wilmington Hammerheads)
M - Trey Alexander (Wilmington Hammerheads)
M - Justin Evans (Pittsburgh Riverhounds)
M - Matthew Mbuta (Crystal Palace Baltimore)
F - Gary Brooks (Crystal Palace Baltimore)
F - Sallieu Bundu (Cleveland City Stars)
F - Jeff Deren (Western Mass Pioneers)
The finalists for the Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards were unveiled as the following:
Defender of the Year: Brady Bryant (Charlotte), Sascha Görres (Richmond), Mark Schulte (Cleveland), Steve Shak (Charlotte)
Rookie of the Year: Pat Healey (Baltimore), Stanley Nyazamba (Richmond)
Coach of the Year: Leigh Cowlishaw (Richmond), Jim Cherneski/Pete Medd (Baltimore), Mark Steffens (Charlotte)
Most Valuable Player: Mike Burke (Richmond), Jorge Herrera (Charlotte), Dustin Swinehart (Charlotte)
The winners of the league awards will be announced at the USL-2 Championship banquet on Friday, in Cleveland.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 18, 2008
- USL-2 All League Honors - Charlotte Eagles
- City Stars Host USL-2 Championship This Saturday vs. Charlotte Eagles - Cleveland City Stars
- Club Boasts MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year and Coach of the Year Finalists - Richmond Kickers
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