GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) announced its 2017 Men’s Soccer All-Conference Team and Individual Awards Thursday with 35 student-athletes from 13 institutions receiving recognition. All-Conference selections and individual award-winners were determined in a vote by the conference coaches.

Brenden Valverde (Birdsboro, Pa.) from Penn State Berks has been named NEAC Player of the Year and NEAC Rookie of the Year after emerging as one of the top offensive threats in the nation. The Nittany Lions’ freshman forward earns two honors after serving as the catalyst for the Penn State Berks offense all season. Valverde leads the NEAC and ranks second in Division III with 22 goals. He has recorded at least one goal in 12 contests, including a pair of four-goal games. In addition to leading the league in goals, Valverde sits atop the NEAC with 50 points, including 34 in conference play. His 50 points also rank second in Division III. Valverde is also the league-leader with four game-winning goals, all of which came against NEAC opponents. After starting in all 19 games during his rookie campaign, Valverde was named NEAC Offensive Player of the Week four times this season and was also placed on the NEAC All-Conference First Team.

Penn State Abington senior Andrew Costa (Philadelphia, Pa.) has been recognized as the NEAC Defensive Player of the Year as the anchor of the league’s best defensive unit. The Nittany Lions’ defender started all 16 contests this season and helped his team limit its opponents to just 21 goals and a 1.16 goals-against average. In conference games, Costa and the Nittany Lions allowed just six goals in nine games. Costa’s play also helped Penn State Abington post four shutouts, with three of them coming in NEAC games. In addition to his solid play on the back line, Costa has scored two goals and one assist with one of his goals serving as the game-winning goal against Bryn Athyn College. Costa also represents Penn State Abington on the NEAC All-Conference First Team.

Penn State Abington head coach David Castellanos has been named NEAC Coach of the Year for the second-straight season after the Nittany Lions earned their third NEAC Regular Season Title. Castellanos led the Nittany Lions to a perfect 6-0-0 record in the South Division and currently remain undefeated against NEAC opponents. Penn State Abington enters the NEAC Semifinals with a 13-6-0 overall record. Castellanos’ Nittany Lions led all institutions with six All-Conference selections.

2017 NEAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Team

^ Denotes Unbreakable Tie
* Denotes At-Large Selection

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The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has fourteen NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cazenovia College, College of St. Elizabeth, Gallaudet University, Keuka College, Lancaster Bible College, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Pennsylvania State University – Abington, Pennsylvania State University – Berks, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Morrisville State College, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Wells College, and Wilson College.  Associate members are: Cedar Crest College (W Swimming), D’Youville College (M Volleyball), Hilbert College (M&W Lacrosse, M Volleyball), Medaille College (M&W Lacrosse, M Volleyball), Pennsylvania State University – Altoona (M Volleyball), and Rutgers University – Camden (M Golf). The NEAC has partnered with the North Atlantic Conference in the sports of field hockey and men’s tennis. For more information, please visit: www.neacsports.com.