Four Tigers named to VaSID team
Published 7:57 am Thursday, June 3, 2021
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The Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) have named a quartet of Tiger soccer players in their post-season awards following the spring 2021 season.
Head Coach Tommy DiNuzzo was named the Co-Coach of the Year while freshman Declan Shaw of Durham, North Carolina was named the VaSID Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-State First Team. Both sophomore Connor Brooks of Springfield and senior Gray Sutter of Clinton, North Carolina earned Second Team honors.
DiNuzzo is the first Tiger coach since 2007 to be named VaSID Coach of the Year.
This spring he shares Co-Coach honors with Chris Yeager of the University of Lynchburg. Earlier this spring, H-SC was named the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic South Region Coaching Staff of the Year. Under DiNuzzo’s direction the Tigers broke multiple records this spring. The Tigers’ 24 game unbeaten streak dating back to September 14, 2019 broke the previous ODAC record of 21 set by Virginia Wesleyan back during the 1994-95 season. This also marked the first year that the Tigers went undefeated in the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record. For the second year in a row, H-SC earned the No. 1 seed in the ODAC Tournament; the only two times in team history.
Shaw was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Rookie of the Year in addition to being named First Team All-ODAC following the season. He started nine of the 10 H-SC games this spring and led the team in goals this season with four, including game-winners against Lynchburg and Ferrum. He added four assists to also lead the team in points with 12.
A Third Team All-ODAC selection, Brooks also played and started in all 10 games. In the season-opener against Emory & Henry, he scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 48th minute. He also scored the game winner against Virginia Wesleyan in the 81st minute for his three goals on the season.
Sutter, a 2020-21 ODAC All-Tournament Team selection, played and started every game for the Tigers this spring. He finished the spring with an 8-1-1 record while going 8-0 in the ODAC. In conference games, he made 29 saves with a 0.75 goals against average while facing 64 shots. He also had three shutouts. Overall he made 40 saves with a 0.78 goals against average while facing 90 shots.