Jan. 10, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. - UMass goalkeeper Zack Simmons (Durham, N.H.) has been named the UMBRO/New England Soccer News Men's Player of the Year which honors the top men's soccer player in the New England Region. Simmons also is one of the finalists for the UMBRO/Soccer News Net National Player of the Year Award. That winner will be announced Monday, January 14. A key component for the National Player Of The Year award was an online fan vote in which Simmons received an amazing 61 percent. Andre Akpan of Harvard was the next closest in the vote receiving 12 percent.

Simmons, once a walk-on back-up goalkeeper, led the Minutemen to their first ever appearance in the NCAA College Cup in 2007 after a historic postseason run in the A-10 and NCAA Tournaments.

Simmons recorded nine shutouts in 2007, earning his team their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Men's college tournament. His performance in the net guided the Minutemen to their first ever appearance in the Men's College Cup before their Cinderella run was ended with a 1-0 loss to Ohio State.

Even in the loss, Simmons was stellar, making an outstanding play before eventually allowing the goal.

"He's a great goalkeeper," said Ohio State's Xavier Balc of Simmons. "Basically the only way to put it past him is to make him make a great play and while he's on the ground, put it away."

Other honors for his stellar performance this year include being named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team and the NSCAA/Adidas All-America Third-Team.

Being named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team made him the first player in school history to earn such honors, while the All-America honor was the first for a UMass soccer player since Jeff Deren in 2002. Simmons became the first UMass goalkeeper since Edward McGrath in 1948 to be recognized as an All-American. He is the 15th player in the program's 75-year history to earn All-America honors.

Earlier this year, he was named the Atlantic 10 Tournament MVP and earned spots on the A-10 All-Tournament Team, the A-10 All-Conference First-Team, was named the A-10 Men's Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year, was tabbed the UMass Fall Male Scholar-Athlete, and earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second-Team honors.

The Minutemen finished the season at 17-8-1 which was a school record for wins. The berth to the NCAA College Cup was a first for the UMass soccer program which celebrated its 75th anniversary of intercollegiate competition this year. It was just the second NCAA Tournament appearance all-time.