St. John's University Athletics
Kozicki, Wingert Garner BIG EAST Honors
10/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Wingert, a senior, was named the league?s Defensive Player of the Week, while Kozicki earned conference Rookie of the Week honors.
One of the Red Storm?s captains, Wingert earned the league defensive award for the second-straight week, and for the third time this season. He scored his first goal of the season, on a penalty kick, in St. John?s 3-1 win over Providence on Saturday night against Providence. Wingert also keyed a defensive unit that allowed only five shots, including three on goal, to the Friars.
Kozicki, meanwhile, earned the league rookie honor for the second time this season, but the first on his own (sharing it with two other student-athletes on September 22). The Red Storm?s freshman forward assisted on the game-winning goal, and then added the team?s final goal in the win over the Friars.
St. John?s, 9-1-1 in its last 11 games, maintained its spot in the top-10 in all four national polls. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America rated the Red Storm No. 6, while Soccer America tabbed St. John?s seventh overall. CollegeSoccerNews.com had the Red & White at No. 5 nationally, and Soccer Times listed St. John?s at No. 6.
The Red Storm return to action on Wednesday, playing at Connecticut in a BIG EAST match at Morrone Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. St. John?s enters the match with a 5-1-0 slate in the BIG EAST, two points ahead of Rutgers, which stands in second at 4-1-1. Virginia Tech is in third place, followed by the Huskies, who are 3-1-2 in league play and 5-5-2 overall.
The match at Connecticut on Wednesday will be the 20th meeting between the teams. The head-to-head series is tied, 9-9-1, but St. John?s has won two of the last three meetings. The Huskies topped St. John?s, 3-2, in the BIG EAST Semifinals last year, but the Red Storm won 1-0 at home earlier in the year, and topped UConn, 1-0, in the 2001 BIG EAST Tournament Championship.
