Four Terriers Claim America East All-Conference Accolades
November 1, 2012 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 1, 2012
America East All-Conference List
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Highlighted by senior midfielder Michael Bustamante's school-record fourth All-Conference First Team honor, the Boston University men's soccer team earned a total of four awards, the league office announced Thursday afternoon. The other Terriers to be recognized were junior midfielder Anthony Ciccone (second team), freshman midfielder Carlos Ruiz (rookie) and sophomore goalkeeper Nick Thomson (academic).
Sitting out last season due to injury, Bustamante returned for a fifth year and finished tied-for-second on the team with 10 points off three goals and four assists, including a helper on the golden goal at Stony Brook. With a total of 27 assists, be ends his collegiate career ranked ninth all-time at BU. In 2010, he joined seven other Terriers, including former MLS star Andy Dorman ('03), in exclusive company with placement on the first team for the third time but is now the first at BU and fourth in league history to have four total.
Looking to make his own mark in the program, Ciccone had a standout season in which he recorded a team-high eight assists, a mark that currently ranks tied-for-15th nationally. Sending crosses into the box from the wing, Ciccone set up game winners against No. 10 Boston College, Holy Cross, Adelphi, Albany and Binghamton. Earning his first All-Conference award, he also scored the lone goal in the 1-1 draw at the Big East's Providence.
Showing the future is bright at the midfield position, Ruiz started in nine games and stepped up at critical moments, including scoring the game-tying goal at Stony Brook that sent the contest to overtime. He also tallied an assist against Albany and helped BU shut out six opponents.
A former All-Rookie honoree, Thomson guarded the net for all but 20 minutes of the season. He claimed BU's first shutout against BC since 1998 and also blanked five other teams. Enrolled in the College of General Studies with a GPA of 3.69, he finished the season with a 1.21 goals against average and .755 save percentage.
