USC Aiken Men’s Soccer All-Decade Team Announced

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken athletic department and head coach Ike Ofoje unveiled the 2000-10 Men’s Soccer All-Decade team on Monday, Aug. 22, 2011.

The 2000-10 USC Aiken Men’s Soccer All-Decade team features 15 student-athletes, including three honorable mention selections.

"Looking at all these names brings back great memories,” mused Ofoje. “There are not enough words to quantify how much these guys enriched my life, and the same goes on the women's side as well. I am very proud of them."

Richard Wolf (1998-2001) concluded his career as the USC Aiken all-time leader in career points with 82. His 32 goals are tied for the most in school history. Wolf’s 18 assists is good for fourth all-time in the Pacer annals. Wolf was a two-time Peach Belt Conference All-Conference selection (2000 and 2001). He was chosen to the Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament team in 1998.

Troy Watson (2008-pres.) is presently in the top 20 in school history in total points with 31. Watson has scored 11 goals and assisted on nine other goals in his Pacer career entering the 2011 season in 35 matches played. Watson was chosen to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference team. He is a two-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, winning the award on Sept. 9, 2009 and Sept. 22, 2009.

Emmanuel Maduka (2003-06) was selected to the 2005 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference team and the 2006 Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament team. He finished his Pacer career in the top 10 in school history in career scoring with 42 points on 18 goals and six assists in 51 matches played.

Andre Joseph (2001-04) finished his Pacer career by being named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Conference team in the 2004 season. Joseph ended his senior campaign with one goal and two assists.

A member of the Pacer men’s soccer team for two seasons, Fernando Gamez-Noriega (2008-09) was a first team Peach Belt Conference All-Academic selection in 2009. Gamez-Noriega concluded his senior campaign in 2009 with the Pacers with a team second-best six goals and six assists for 18 total points. Gamez-Noriega was the Oct. 7, 2008 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week.

Kofi Akyere (2007-08) is USC Aiken’s only All-America selection in men’s soccer. Akyere was named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Honorable Mention All-America Team at the conclusion of his junior season in 2007. The same season he became USC Aiken’s first ever men’s soccer player to be named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year as he received Co-Player of the Year honors with Clayton State’s Tonny Madegwa. In the 2007 season, Akyere scored 12 goals and tallied three assists for the year for a team-high 27 points. He ended his two years with the Pacers in the top 10 in school history with 41 points on 19 goals and five assists.

Plameen Peev (2001-04) ended his four years with the Pacers by being named an ESPN Academic All-American. In his time at USC Aiken, Peev owned an almost flawless 3.98 grade point average. On the field as a senior in 2004, Peev finished with two goals and two assists for six total points.

Wacey Benjamin (2004-06) had his best season as a Pacer in his senior season in 2006. Benjamin was a Peach Belt Conference All-Conference selection in 2006 as well as a first team Daktronics All-Region choice. He was named to the NSCAA/adidas All-Region second team in 2006. Benjamin was the Oct. 10, 2006 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week.

Haroon Saleem (2000-02) concluded his three years with the Pacers as a two-time Peach Belt Conference All-Conference selection, obtaining the laurels from the league in both 2001 and 2002. Saleem was chosen to the 2000 and 2002 Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament teams. Saleem claimed NSCAA/adidas All-Region honors at the end of the 2002 season. He is in the top 15 all-time in total points with 40 (16 goals, eight assists).

John Lesko (2006-09) finished his Pacer career by being named to the 2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II Southeast Region Men's Soccer Second team. He was also chosen to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference team. The four-year starter finished his senior campaign in 2009 with three goals and two assists. Lesko in total was a two-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection as he also obtained the honor in 2008 as a junior.

Mamadou Ndoye (2001-04) ended his Pacer career in the top 10 in school history in total points with 47. Ndoye scored 19 goals in his career, while also assisting on nine other Pacer netters. Ndoye was chosen to the Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament teams in both 2003 and 2004.

Harold Tate (2004-06) ended his career tied for the most shutouts in school history between the pipes with Danny King (1993-96). Both concluded their careers with seven total shutouts. Tate claimed six of his seven career shutouts in USC Aiken’s 2006 season. The six shutouts in one season is a school record.

Peter Calabrese (2000-03) was a four-year starter at goalkeeper for the Pacers.

Paul Okumu (1998-2001) finished his four years as a Pacer in the top 20 in school history in total points with 32 (11 goals, 10 assists) in 67 matches played.

AJ Ikorou (2002) was only a member of the USC Aiken men’s soccer team for one season, but he made his presence known as he was selected to the 2002 Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament team.

The head coaches of each of USC Aiken's teams selected the 2000-10 USC Aiken Athletic Department All-Decade teams.

Over the course of the coming weeks, an All-Decade team will be released each week by the USC Aiken athletic department.

Please visit USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com the remainder of the summer to see the All-Decade teams. 

Men’s Soccer All-Decade Team

Richard Wolf

Troy Watson

Emmanuel Maduka

Andre Joseph

Fernando Gamez-Noriega

Kofi Akyere

Plameen Peev

Wacey Benjamin

Haroon Saleem

John Lesko

Mamadou Ndoye

Harold Tate

Honorable Mention:

Peter Calabrese

Paul Okumu

AJ Ikourou