PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley Soccer program kicked off a full day of activities by hosting its annual postseason banquet Saturday morning at the Michel Student Center, which included the announcement of the 2009 team awards.
Senior midfielder Grant Campbell (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) was named the team Most Valuable Player, while senior forward Chris Cutshaw (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.) copped Offensive MVP honors and senior back Travis English (Tucson, Ariz./ H.S.) was named the team Defensive MVP.
Campbell played a variety of center midfield roles throughout his Bradley career, including an attacking position in 2009. He earned second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors, his fourth All-MVC award in his career, after recording two goals and two assists last fall. A first-team All-MVC pick in 2009, Cutshaw led The Valley in scoring with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists and ended his career tied for second in program history with 32 goals. English was the glue of Bradley's backline the last four years, starting 70 consecutive games to end his career, and earning second-team All-MVC awards each of his last two seasons.
Among the other awards announced Saturday, freshman sweeper Tapiwa Machingauta (Marondera, Zimbabwe/Prince Edward School) was named the Newcomer of the Year, senior forward Graham Stockdale was picked the Most Improved Player, sophomore midfielder Bobby Smith (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin H.S.) earned the Coaches Award and Campbell became a multiple-award winner by collecting the Braves Award in a vote of his teammates. In addition, the parents of redshirt junior goalkeeper Drew Van Kampen (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley H.S.), Chip and Karen Van Kampen, were honored with the Betty Shea Service Award in recognition of their dedicated travel and support of the team throughout the last four years.
The morning's final award, the Danny Dahlquist Memorial Scholarship, was presented by Bradley Senior Associate Athletic Director Craig Dahlquist to the entire, six-man senior class. Justin Bigelow (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb, Ill.), Campbell, Cutshaw, English Stockdale and Van Kampen all were classmates of Danny Dahlquist, who died in a house fire just before the start of the 2007 preseason.
2009 Bradley Soccer Team Awards
Most Valuable Player: Grant Campbell, Sr., MF
Offensive MVP: Chris Cutshaw, Sr., F
Defensive MVP: Travis English, Sr., D
Braves Award: Grant Campbell, Sr., MF
Coaches Award: Bobby Smith, So., MF
Most Improved Player: Graham Stockdale, Sr., F
Newcomer of the Year: Tapiwa Machingauta, Fr., D
Betty Shea Service Award: Chip and Karen Van Kampen
Danny Dahlquist Memorial Scholarship: 2009 Senior Class (Justin Bigelow, Grant Campbell, Chris Cutshaw, Travis English, Graham Stockdale and Drew Van Kampen)
Immediately following the Bradley Soccer team's postseason awards banquet, the Braves hosted Louisville and the women's teams from Creighton and Illinois State in a luncheon prior to the Danny Dahlquist Memorial Game at Shea Stadium. Louisville, the defending Big East Conference Red Division champion, earned a 3-1 win in the opening men's game against Bradley, while the Redbirds and Bluejays played to a 1-1 draw in the women's nightcap. Carey Dahlquist, a sophomore for Creighton, is a sister of Danny Dahlquist.
