June 20, 2008

A senior co-captain and leader in the backfield, Derek Puerta was the 2008 BU men's soccer team MVP. One of four Terriers to start all 20 games last fall, Puerta scored two goals from the defensive end, notching scores at Albany in a 1-1 draw with the Great Danes and at UMass in the Terriers' NCAA tilt with the Minutemen. His goal versus UMass was BU's only goal of the game.

In April, Puerta received E. Ray Speare Award, given annually to BU's top male scholar-athlete. He graduated in January from the College of Communication and was a three-time member of the Student-Athlete Honor Roll.