USL News Release
Tuesday, August 9, 2005
TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced Tuesday the 2005 Premier Development League All-League Team, recognizing 11 of the best players in the PDL for the past regular season as voted on by team coaches and general managers.
Eleven different clubs were represented on the All-League team with midfielder and two-time league MVP Tomas Boltnar of Des Moines and forward Daniel Frias of El Paso representing the two finalists. Frias is one of three players returning to the team from last year with Kevin Taylor of the Michigan Bucks and John Thompson of the Ocean City Barons.
The PDL Championship will feature the Central Conference champion Des Moines Menace visiting the Southern Conference champion El Paso Patriots Saturday, August 13. The game will be at Socorro Stadium at 10:30 pm ET and will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel.
The PDL Defender of the Year and U-19 Player of the Year honors will be announced Wednesday with the Coach of the Year award Thursday. The Most Valuable Player will be announced at the Championship media luncheon Friday.
Goalkeeper Nathan Pena (Orange County Blue Star)
Pena backstopped the regular season champion Orange County Blue Star to a 15-1-0 season with a 0.47 goals against average to win the Goalkeeper of the Year honor. He also led the league in shutouts (7) and wins (13). In his first season with the team last year, he posted a 1.15 GAA in eight games (760 minutes) with a 5-1-2 record.
Defender Kevin Taylor (Michigan Bucks)
In his third season with the Bucks, Taylor was honored on the All-Conference and All-League teams for the second straight season this year after leading the Bucks to an 11-4-1 record and second place in the Great Lakes Division. Taylor played in 15 games this season and had his best offensive output of three seasons with four goals and two assists, bringing his three-year totals to eight goals and two assists in 38 games. Following the Bucks elimination from the playoffs, Taylor was signed by the Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division.
Defender John Thompson (Ocean City Barons)
Thompson is a returning All-Conference and All-League selection having led the Barons to an unbeaten record (14-0-4) last season and a 12-3-1 mark this season. Also a member of the clubs front office and coaching staff, Thompson played in 15 games this season, registering his first goal and first assist in four seasons of USL action that encompasses 77 games in the PDL the last three seasons and a professional season with the Barons in the USL Second Division in 2002.
Defender Josh Westerman (Cascade Surge)
For a second straight season a member of the Surge back line has represented the club on the All-League Team with Westerman taking the place of current teammate Jeremy Tolleson. Westerman helped lead Cascade to a second consecutive Northwest Division title with a 12-2-2 record, tallying three goals and an assist in 15 games this season.
Midfielder Tomas Boltnar (Des Moines Menace)
It is no surprise Boltnar was named to his third All-League Team in four years. The 2002 and 2003 PDL Most Valuable Player led the Menace to a 12-3-1 record this season with 10 goals and 10 assists in 15 games, ranking eighth in points and second in assists in the PDL. In addition to his MVP honors, Boltnar was the Scoring and Goal Scoring Champion in 2002 and won the Assist Leader award in 2002 and 2003. His four-year PDL career boasts 57 goals and 36 assists in 61 regular season games. He also serves as the teams assistant coach.
Midfielder Daniel Bustos (West Michigan Edge)
Bustos is one of two players on the All-League Team representing a club that missed the postseason. Bustos posted eight goals and eight assists in 11 games on the season for the Edge. He previously played for the Wichita Jets in 2000 and 2001, registering a goal and an assist as a U-19 player.
Midfielder Fabricio Codeceira (Fresno Fuego)
Codeceira makes his All-League debut after being named to the All-Conference Team for the second straight season. He helped lead the Fuego to a 10-5-1 record with a goal and seven assists in 11 games. His three-year totals for the Fuego are five goals and 18 assists in 28 games. He also recorded an assist in two games with the Cascade Surge in 2002.
Midfielder Justin Moose (Carolina Dynamo)
Moose is one of two players on the All-League Team representing a club that missed the postseason. He was named to the All-Conference Team for the second consecutive year and makes his All-League debut. Moose helped lead Carolina within a point of the playoffs at 9-6-1 with nine goals and four assists in 15 games. He registered seven goals and two assists in 13 games last season for the Dynamo.
Forward Daniel Frias (El Paso Patriots)
Frias returns to the All-League Team for a second straight year after leading his Patriots to an 11-3-2 record with 17 goals and five assists in 11 games. He ranked fifth in points and third in goals in the league after winning the Scoring and Goal Scoring Championship last season with 25 goals and six assists. Frias debuted with the Patriots as a professional in the USL First Division in 2002 with nine goals and three assists in 17 games.
Forward Freddy Moojen (Cocoa Expos)
Moojen won the Scoring Championship with 43 points on the season and shared the Goal Scoring title with 18 goals as he helped lead the Expos to the Southeast Division title at 11-3-2. He also had seven assists on the campaign as he was one of two players on the team to play all 16 games. In his first season with the team last year, he tallied 10 goals and three assists in 15 games.
Forward Cristian Neagu (Richmond Kickers Future)
In his fourth season with the Kickers Future, Neagu burst onto the scene this year with 15 goals and 12 assists in 15 games, surpassing the combined totals of 12 goals and six assists in 37 games over the past three seasons. He helped lead the team to a 12-2-2 record with their only losses coming in the final weekend of the season. The league Assist Leader on the campaign, he also finished second in points and sixth in goals.
