Deren Named First Team All-New England

Dec. 2, 2002

AMHERST, Mass. - Men's soccer player Jeff Deren (Chicopee, Mass.) was named NSCAA / adidas first team All-New England. Yuri Morales (Santa Cruz, Calif.) and Derek Rhodes (DePere, Wis.) were named to the second and third teams respectively.

Deren, a senior forward, was named to the first team following a record-breaking season. Deren broke the school single-season record for points (51) and goals (22), and also shattered the career record for points (113) and goals (48). His 17 career assists rank him eighth all-time, and his seven assists in 2002 place him ninth on the single-season list. Deren was the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight year, after leading the conference in scoring. He finished the season fifth in the country in scoring per game (2.55 ppg) and fifth in goals per game (1.10 gpg).

Morales earned second team honors after scoring 28 points (9 g, 10 a). His 10 assists place him third on the single-season list and his 28 career assists are a school record. The senior midfielder earned first team all-Atlantic 10 honors for the second straight season. He finished his career with 60 points (16 g, 28 a), which ranks tied for 10th on the school's career chart.

Rhodes, a senior backer, was named to the third team after scoring nine points (2 g, 5 a). However, it was Rhodes' contributions on defense that lifted UMass to an Atlantic 10 regular-season title. He was switched from midfielder to backer after four games, and the Minutemen posted a 10-4-2 record with Rhodes directing the defense. He helped the Minutemen to five shutouts on the season, including four in a five-game stretch midway through the A-10 season. He finished his career with 27 points (6 g, 15 a). The 15 career assists place him ninth on the UMass career list.

The Minutemen finished the season with a 12-6-2 record and an Atlantic 10 regular-season title, its second in three years.

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University of Massachusets Athletics

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