MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Ruben Resendes (Fall River, Mass.) of the Southern New Hampshire University men's soccer team was named Second Team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Tuesday afternoon. In addition, four Penmen, Resendes, seniors Chris Tsonis (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Jordan Branco (Norton, Mass.) and freshman Dominic Samuel (Toronto, Ontario) garnered All-Region honors, with Resendes and Tsonis First Team selections and Branco and Samuel named to the Third Team.
Southern New Hampshire was also ranked No. 5 in the final NSCAA national ranking released Tuesday, marking the highest final ranking for the Penmen since being selection No. 2 following the 2002 campaign.
Resendes, a four-year starting midfielder for the Penmen, becomes the 22nd player in the storied history of Penmen men's soccer to earn NSCAA All-America honors. A two-time NSCAA and Daktronics All-Region selection, Resendes also received Daktronics Honorable Mention All-America accolades in 2012. He started every game for the Penmen this season and was a key playmaker for an offense that registered 55 goals in 23 games. Resendes finished the season with four assists and wrapped up his career as the program's all-time leader in games played with 87.
Tsonis, who was named the Daktronics East Region Co-Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American, led Southern New Hampshire and the Northeast-10 in scoring for the second straight season with 16 goals and four assists for 36 points. A co-captain and two-time NE-10 First Team selection, Tsonis notched seven-game winning goals on the season and recorded at least one goal in 14 of SNHU's 23 games. He wrapped up his career tied for ninth in career goals with 40 over his four seasons. Tsonis was named NSCAA All-Region for the second time in his career.
Branco, a Northeast-10 Second Team All-Conference selection, finished 2012 as the second-leading scorer on the Penmen despite missing three games, totaling six goals and a team-high nine assists for 21 points this season. Over his three seasons in a Penmen uniform, Branco totaled 17 goals and 18 assists for 52 points and was a two-time NE-10 All-Conference selection.
Samuel, a defender, started all but one contest on the backline for the Penmen and anchored one of the nation's stingiest defenses, allowing 13 goals in 23 games and finishing fourth nationally in team goals-against average (0.56). The Northeast-10 Second Team selection also recorded four goals on the season, including a pair of game-winners.
Southern New Hampshire finished the 2012 season 19-4, its most victories since 2002. The Penmen captured their first NCAA regional championship in a decade, advanced to the Division II quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons, and also won the program's fourth Northeast-10 tournament title.
