Nov. 12, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced on Thursday, highlighting awards presented to five Nittany Lions in honor of their standout 2009 seasons. Yeisley joins junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and junior defender Andres Casais (Caracas, Venezuela) as First Team All-Big Ten selections while sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) and junior midfielder Drew Cost (West Chester, Pa.) were recognized on the second team.
Yeisley has had a stellar senior season, leading Penn State to its best record since its Big Ten Championship season of 2005. He is tied for the team lead in goals (8) and is second in assists (5) and points (21). This season, Yeisley was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 7) for the second time in his career, to the Soccer America Team of the Week (Sept. 6), and the College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Oct. 4).
Also an All-Big Ten First Team honoree in 2007, Yeisley is Penn State's leading active scorer, totaling 24 goals and 15 assists (63 points) in 60 career games. A three-time team captain, he has overcome two serious knee injuries to return for his senior season. In recognition of his will to triumph over adversity, Yeisley was presented with the True Grit Award at the 2009 Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board Academic Achievement Awards Banquet. He is also a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, an honor that recognizes student-athletes who excel on and off the field, weighing notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community, and competition.
Yeisley was also named a recipient of the 2009 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The honor is given to the one player from each team in the conference who best reflects the principles of sportsmanship and fair play established by the Big Ten.
Matheus Braga emerged as one of the Big Ten's most dangerous weapons on the attack in 2009, totaling a career-high seven goals and five assists (19 points) on the conference's top scoring offense. Braga, along with Yeisley and Hertzog, have team to notch 62 of Penn State's 91 points this season. After leading the team in assists a year ago in his first season as a Nittany Lions, Braga has a seven goals and nine assists (23 points) for his career.
Andres Casais was a mainstay on the Penn State defense this season, standing as one of three Nittany Lions to start all 19 games this season. Returning from a broken orbital bone that cost him seven games in 2008, he has proven his durability by serving as the team leader in minutes played in 2009. Casais has combined with sophomore Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) to form a formidable central defense for the Nittany Lions.
Corey Hertzog paired with Jason Yeisley to give Penn State the conference's most explosive scoring combinations in 2009. He leads the Nittany Lions with 22 points, notching a career best eight goals and six assists. Demonstrating his knack for coming through in the clutch, he finished second in the Big Ten with five game winning goals. This season, he was named to the Penn State Classic All-Tournament Team and earned his second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 28) award of career for performances versus Lehigh and Michigan.
In the starting line-up for 18 of the 19 games in which he has appeared, Drew Cost has been a steady force in the midfield for Penn State in 2009. He has scored a career-high three goals this season, ranking third on the team, and is fourth in points (8).