Men's Soccer

September 22, 2009

Tiger Duo Shares SCAC Player of the Week Honors

San Antonio - Two members of the Trinity University Tigers men’s soccer team have been selected as Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Players of the Week.

Senior forward Ben Grossman of San Diego (La Costa Canyon) and junior defender Patrick Cunagin of College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated), were named SCAC Men’s Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively.

The Tigers (6-1-0, 2-0-0 SCAC), led by head coach Paul McGinlay, shut out Austin College 3-0 and edged Colorado College 1-0 (double-overtime) in conference road games last weekend. Trinity, defending SCAC champion, moved up to a ranking of No. 11 in the NCAA Division III. The Tigers, who have won six straight games, were previously ranked 12^th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and D3soccer.com polls.

Grossman scored two first-half goals in Friday’s win over Austin College, then assisted on the game’s third and final goal in the second half.  In the t Colorado College game, Grossman assisted on the game-winning goal in the second overtime period.

For the season, Grossman leads the Tigers with six goals (four game-winners). He also picked up his first two assists of the season, and is one of only two players with more than one assist this year.

Cunagin and the Tiger defense held Austin College to four shots in Friday’s win, then limited Colorado College to five shots last Sunday. 

Since his return from injury last season, Cunagin has helped guide Trinity to four shutouts this year, compared to six total shutouts for all of the 2008 season.

Trinity will host Rowan (N.J.) Saturday and the University of the Incarnate Word next Monday. The starting time is 7 p.m. each day.

Ben Grossman was named the SCAC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season and the third time in his career

Patrick Cunagin is Trinity's second SCAC Defensive Player of the Week award-winner this season