WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Five Monmouth University men's soccer players were named to 2012 NCAA Division I Men's All-North Atlantic Region Teams, the most in the region, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) today announced. Joseph Schmid (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) earned first team honors, while Emmanuel Senyah Agyemang (Kumasi, Ghana/KNUST University), Alex Blackburn (Natick, Mass./Natick) and Ryan Clark (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) took second team recognition. Matt Jeffery (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) rounded out the Hawks' five honorees with his inclusion on the third team.

"It is a wonderful achievement to have five players named to the Regional All-American team," said Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt. "Our region has some very talented players, so it is an honor for these young men. I am extremely proud to have these student-athletes represent our program and Monmouth University." 

Schmid took the first Regional All-American and All-NEC honors of his career after scoring a team-high five goals and adding three assists. Four of his goals were game-winning tallies against Providence, Bryant, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart. His play in the midfield all season was crucial to the Hawks' success.

Blackburn earned his first-career Regional All-American and All-NEC honors after posting an 0.70 goals-against average (10^th-NCAA) and an .823 saves percentage (21^st-NCAA) while playing every minute in net for the Hawks this season. He compiled nine clean sheets and stopped a pair of penalty kick opportunities in the regular season. For his career, including two years as the starting keeper, he accumulated 26 wins and 23 shutouts.

Clark caps a much-heralded collegiate career with his third Regional All-American and fourth All-NEC honors. He finished the season with three goals, all game winners, to go along with a team-high six assists. Clark selflessly played all over the field this season, moving from midfield to forward and back to the back line at different points in the season. His game-winning goals came against Columbia, Mount St. Mary's and LIU Brooklyn. In the preseason, Clark was named a Second Team All-American by College Soccer News and was selected to the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Top Drawer Soccer also named Clark No. 72 on its list of the Top 100 underclassmen in the nation.

Agyemang and Jeffery were instrumental for the Monmouth defense, while also adding offense on set pieces. They helped Monmouth post nine shutouts and hold the opposition to an 0.70 goals-against average, good for seventh nationally. Both Agyemang and Jeffery scored one goal for the Hawks in 2012.