Byrd, Ilhan named to NCCSIA All-State Team
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – UNCG defender Kris Byrd and forward Hakan Ilhan were named to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association University Division All-State Men's Soccer Team, the NCCSIA announced Thursday.
The 12-member team consists of NCAA Division I student-athletes from North Carolina colleges and universities. Nominees were submitted by North Carolina sports information professionals. NCCSIA members voted for the all-state teams.
Byrd, a redshirt junior from Huntersville, N.C., started all 22 games for the Spartans, anchoring a defense that posted seven shutouts on the season, second-most in the Southern Conference. In his first season at UNCG after transferring from NC State, Byrd earned a spot on the All-SoCon First Team. He had one point on one assist this season, that coming in a 4-2 win over Wofford on Oct. 19.
Ilhan, a first-team All-SoCon selection, also earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Performance Subaru All-South Region Second Team honors this season. The sophomore from Stuttgart, Germany, led the SoCon with 31 points on a league-leading 12 goals and seven assists, which ranked second in the SoCon. Ilhan, also in his first year at UNCG, finished the season 10th in NCAA Division I in points and 12th in goals. Ilhan was the SoCon Player of the Month for October and was named to the SoCon Championship All-Tournament Team.
The duo helped UNCG to a 12-6-4 overall record and a 4-1-2 mark in league play as the Spartans shared the regular-season SoCon crown and took the top seed at the SoCon Championship. Byrd and Ilhan were instrumental in UNCG's winning its fifth SoCon tournament title, as Ilhan scored all four Spartan goals in the tournament and Byrd was part of a defense that allowed just one goal in three games – two of which went to overtime.
UNCG took an 11-match unbeaten streak into the NCAA tournament, going 8-0-3 after a 4-5-1 start.
North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
2010 University Division All-State Men's Soccer Team
Nominated by North Carolina Sports Information professionals / Selected by NCCSIA members
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
GK Michael Chesler * Jr. High Point Highlands, Utah
D Kris Byrd * R-Jr. UNCG Huntersville, N.C.
D Charles Rodriguez * Jr. Charlotte Franklin, Tenn.
D Indy Smith *** Sr. UNC Wilmington Black Mountain, N.C.
MF Alex Caskey ** Sr. Davidson Dunwoody, Ga.
MF Tyler Gibson * Fr. Charlotte Nashville, Tenn.
MF Fejiro Okiomah * So. High Point Austin, Texas
MF Shawn Sloan * So. High Point Geneva, Ill.
MF Donnie Smith * So. Charlotte Matthews, N.C.
F Hakan Ilhan * So. UNCG Stuttgart, Germany
F Karo Okiomah * Jr. High Point Austin, Texas
F Chris Thomas ** So. Elon Snellville, Ga.
* indicates number of career all-state selections
- UNCG -