December 19, 2012
REGIONAL HONORS
Parker, Bennett, Diaz are All-Northeast

QUEENS, N.Y. -- Three St. John’s men’s players earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region honors.

Defender Tim Parker was selected to the first team and defender Jack Bennett and goalkeeper Rafael Diaz were second team selections.

St. John’s, which has 57 All-Region selections in program history, has garnered at least one all-region honor in each of the past three seasons. The three All-Region honorees are also the most in a single season since the 2008 squad also placed three players on All-Region teams.

Parker, one of two underclassmen on the All-Region first team, earned first team All-Big East honors this season. The defender had one goal and one assist and helped anchor a defense that recorded eight shutouts. One of six players to start all 19 games, Parker was the only field player to play all 1,790 minutes.

Another first team All-Big East honoree, Bennett led the Red Storm in goals (five), assists (four) and points (14), and finished tied for the team-lead with three game-winning goals. The former midfielder transitioned to the back line for the 2012 season and started all 19 games at left back.

Diaz, who earned second team All-Big East accolades, finished the season with a 10-5-4 record and tied a career-high with eight shutouts. He posted a 0.75 goals-against average to go with a .795 save percentage and finished the regular season tied for the league-lead with four clean sheets in conference action.

St. John’s reached the NCAA Division I tournament for the 19th time, including four appearances in the past five seasons.