DeLand, Fla. -The Atlantic Sun Conference has announced its 2009 All-Conference teams and Stetson was well represented. Four Hatters were named First Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference and one, Robert Hodge was voted as the A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year. The All-Conference teams are voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
Joining Hodge of the All-Conference first team are Griffin Gilstrap, Kevin Munz, and Fredrik Brustad. All four were named A-Sun player of the week this season. Prior to this season the most Hatters to be voted first team was three in 2005. Also, Jonathan Mendoza was named to the 2009 All-Freshman Team.
Hodge, a senior defender out of Devon, England is the first Hatter ever to be named A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year. The Stetson team captain anchored the backline that led the conference in goals against. He started all 16 games he appeared in this season at center back. A Preseason All-Conference Team member, he was the Stetson Soccer Classic MVP and was named the A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week on September 14. Hodge posted seven points on the season with two goals on six shots to hold a team-best .333 shot percentage. He led Stetson to a conference best +0.53 goal margin and the nation's 13th-best winning percentage.
Gilstrap, a senior forward from Safety Harbor, Florida emerged as the league's top scorer in 2009. He led the conference in goals with nine and scoring with 22 points. Gilstrap started all 17 matches and is one of two players in the conference to have 5+ goals and 5+ assists. He was named the A-Sun Offensive Player of the Week on September 14.
Munz, a senior forward out of Jupiter, Florida is ranked in the top-10 in all nine A-Sun offensive categories. He is 2nd in assists (8), 2nd in assists per game (0.47), 2nd in points (20), 3rd in points per game (1.18), and tied for 3rd in goals (6). Munz started all 17 games at forward and is one of two players in the conference to have 5+ goals and 5+ assists. He was named the A-Sun Offensive Player of the Week on October 12.
Brustad, a sophomore from Oslo, Norway lived up to his preseason all-conference selection. He is ranked in the top-10 in all nine offensive categories. Brustad is 5th in points (16), 6th in points per game (0.94), tied for 3rd in goals (6) and tied for 6th in Assists (4). In A-Sun games only he is tied for 1st in goals (5), tied for 1st in goals per game (0.56), tied for 4th in shots (27) and tied for 4th in points (12). He started 16 of 17 games played and was named the A-Sun Offensive Player of the Week on October 19.
Mendoza, a freshman midfielder from Altamonte Springs, Florida was at times, electrifying for the Hatters this season. He is an explosive player that creates special opportunities with technical confidence and speed. Mendoza is extremely versatile in playing three different positions: wide midfield, center midfield, and forward. He finished tied for 5th on the team in scoring with two goals and three assists for seven points. Mendoza tied for 4th in the league in game-winning goals with two (FIU and St. Joseph's).
