Defense recognized as six Panthers tabbed for All-Independent team

ORANGE, Calif. – Coming off a third consecutive winning season, the Chapman University men's soccer team had six players named to the 2010 Division III All-Independent team as selected by the Association of Division III Independents on Tuesday. Three of the six are defenders, led by senior GK Tyler Hadzinsky who received the Panthers' highest honor being named Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Along with Hadzinsky, senior D Cody Mansfield also earned first team honors for the second year in a row.

This award will be tacked onto Hadzinsky's long list of accomplishments during his tenure at Chapman. The senior was named All-Independent Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008 and has earned Academic All-District honors in soccer and baseball each of the past two years. This fall, Hadzinsky racked up six shutouts and his 0.81 goals against average ranked 64th best in the nation in all of Division III.

Mansfield was Chapman's workhorse this season for a defense that posted a 1.33 goals-against average. The senior played in all 19 games and led the team in minutes played. In addition to leading the defensive effort, Mansfield scored his only goal of the year in a critical 3-2 win over Occidental early in the season.

While Hadzinsky and Mansfield held down the defensive front, three Panther goalscorers – sophomore F Mauricio Alfonso, senior M Dalton Sweaney and freshman F Nick Echeverry – earned All-Independent second team honors. Freshman D Andy Stevenson also earned the second team award. Alfonso and Sweaney are now two-time honorees for their career.

The rookie Echeverry had a standout season leading Chapman in goals (7), assists (4) and shots on goal (24). He becomes the first freshman since Brock Schermerhorn in 2001 to lead the Panthers in goals and total points. Meanwhile, Alfonso was the clutch performer for the Panthers as four of his six goals were game-winners. Alfonso led the offensive effort attacking opposing goalkeepers with his team-high 58 shots this season.

Despite missing a portion of the season due to injury, Sweaney was still able to put together an impressive senior year. In just 12 games played, Sweaney tallied five goals and three assists. To start the season, the midfielder scored four of Chapman's first five goals, including an unassisted game-winner against La Verne in a 2-1 win in September.

Stevenson, another Chapman rookie, also helped stabilize the Panthers' defense which posted seven team shutouts. He also played in all 19 games and finished second on the team with over 1,500 minutes played.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 14 NCAA Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.

by Robert Flicker
Sports Information Intern