EIGHT PLAYERS NAMED ALL-MPSF, CARRANZA PEGGED AS PLAYER OF THE YEAR, LINENBERGER EARNS COACH OF THE YEAR

11/12/2009

DENVER - The Sacramento State men’s soccer team had eight players earn all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors, with junior Ernesto Carranza being named Player of the Year and head coach Michael Linenberger earning Coach of the Year honors, as announced by the conference today.

21st year head coach Michael Linenberger led the Hornets to their second Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season title, and first since 2001. Sacramento State posted a 10-5-2 record in the regular season, and collected an unbeaten 6-0-1 record in MPSF play. The 10 wins tied the school record set during the 1992 season, while records fell for most consecutive wins (five), longest unbeaten streak (seven and counting) and longest home winning streak (seven and counting) over the course of the season. For Linenberger, the honor marks the third of his career. He was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the first time following the 2001 season, and shared the honor in 2005.

Midfielder/forward Carranza led the Hornets during conference play with four goals and two assists, and recorded two game-winning goals. A native of Oakdale, Calif., Carranza struck for the game-winner in the 67th minute of the Hornets 2-1 triumph over Denver on October 18, and one game later collecting the match’s lone goal in the Hornets 1-0 victory at Seattle. For his career, Carranza has 11 goals and 11 assists, with his assist total ranking third in school history. He becomes the first Hornet to earn MPSF Player of the Year honors.

Joining Carranza on the first team were junior midfielder Fernando Cabadas (Sacramento, Calif.) and junior defender Diego Marroquin (Petaluma, Calif.). Cabadas tied for the conference lead during the regular season with seven assists, also adding a goal in the Hornets 4-3 victory over San Jose State. A former unrecruited walk-on, Cabadas has now earned first team all-MPSF honors the past two seasons. Marroquin anchored a Hornet defense that allowed just 1.15 goals per game during his first season in the Green and Gold. The former junior college All-American also added the game-winning goal in the Hornets 2-0 victory over Air Force on Oct. 16.

Two players earned second team all-conference honors, senior defender David von Stockhausen (San Jose, Calif.) and freshman striker Max Alvarez (Napa, Calif.). A 2009 team captain, von Stockhausen started 16 matches on the defensive backline during the regular season, scoring two goals and adding one assist. Alvarez led the MPSF in scoring (20 points) and goals (nine) during the regular season, with his nine goals marking the third highest single-season total in program history.

Three players were recognized on the honorable mention squad, senior midfielder Scott Crandall (Elk Grove, Calif.), sophomore midfielder Matthew Tellez (Canyon Country, Calif.), and sophomore goalkeeper Bryan Oliver (Sacramento, Calif.). Crandall started all 17 regular season games in the wide midfield for the Hornets, scoring two goals and added an assist. Tellez made the transition from forward to defensive midfielder midway through the season, and scored one goal while adding two assists. Oliver started seven of the team’s final eight matches in goal, and posted a 6-1-1 mark, with a goals against average of just 0.81 goals per game. Each player earn all-conference accolades for the first time.

The Hornets will open MPSF Tournament play on Friday, as they face the lowest remaining seed in the tournament at a time to be determined.