Dixon Named GSC Player of the Year
Richard Dixon (photo courtesy of jimhoguephotos.com)Argos lead all teams with six All-GSC selections
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sophomore Richard Dixon (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach HS) of the University of West Florida men’s soccer team claims the program’s first Gulf South Conference Player of the Year award in over 10 years as announce by the conference office Wednesday afternoon. Dixon becomes just the second player in program history to be named GSC Player of the Year, succeeding Aren Cook who won the award in 1998.
Dixon, a 2008 second team selection, will be joined on this season’s GSC First Team by Nikola Kljaic (Zagreb, Croatia/Klasicna Ginnazija), Trey Kramer (New Orleans, La./Jesuit HS) and Paul Willoughby (Huntsville, Ala./Grissom HS). Being named to the GSC Second Team is senior forward Jay Mainville (Jacksonville, Fla./Fletcher HS) and junior midfielder Matt Tanner (Gulf Shores, Ala./Gulf Shores HS), their first career All-GSC honors.
On the season Dixon has started 14 of the 15 games he has appeared in while notching three goals and two assists. Last month he earned his first career GSC Player of the Week laurel for his two goal performance at Delta State in a 6-0 shutout.
Kljaic and Kramer have been outstanding this season on the back line for the Argos. Earlier this season Kljaic earned back-to-back GSC Defender of the Week honors, his first of his career. Kramer, a solid defensive threat, has also been named GSC Defender of the Week once this season coming back on October 13th.
Rounding out the Argos First Team selections is Willoughby, the Argos leading goal scorer. Moving up from his 2008 All-GSC Second Team selection, he has tallied seven goals and four assists for 18 points in 2009. He is tied with Mainville for the team lead in goals scored and points. In the first week of the season Willoughby took home his first career GSC Player of the Week award for netting the two goals in the season opener.
Representing the Argos on the Second Team is midfielder Matt Tanner and forward Jay Mainville. Tanner has been a solid force for the Argos in the midfield while Mainville has seen plenty of action up top. Mainville, coming of an injury on 2008, is currently tied for the team lead in goals scored (7) and points (18). Both collect their first career All-GSC honors.
The Argos will begin their quest for their fourth straight GSC Championship on Friday night against Ouachita Baptist at 7:00pm CT. The GSC Tournament will be held at Brosnaham Park in Pensacola November 6th and 8th.
For more information on Argonaut athletics or to follow along with live stats, fans can keep up with the action at www.GoArgos.com.
