Clayton State’s Dowling and Trujillo
Named to NSCAA All-America Team
December 14, 2004
Morrow, Ga. - For the first time in school history, the Clayton College & State University men’s soccer program had two players named to the NCAA Division II All-America squad.
Clayton State juniors Alex Dowling and Juan Trujillo were both named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America team, which recognizes the top Division II soccer players across the country. Clayton State’s Peach Belt Conference had a record six players named to the team.
Dowling, from Johannesburg, South Africa, led the Clayton State defense to a .71 goals against average this season, which ranked 11th in the country and best in the Peach Belt. The Clayton State defense allowed only 15 goals on the year. Dowling, who has been selected as next season’s captain, helped lead the Lakers to eight shutouts on the year from his defensive position.
Trujillo, from Atlanta, Ga., led the squad in scoring with 10 goals and three assists on the year, sixth best in the conference. He scored four game-winning goals on the year, including the game winner against nationally-ranked the University of South Carolina Upstate.
Dowling and Trujillo become Clayton State’s second and third men’s soccer players to be named to All-America, while the Lakers have been competing at the NCAA Division II level. Josh Grenier became Clayton State’s first Division II All-America in 2000 after the Lakers went 18-3-1. Clayton State’s Stacy Washington was named All-America in 1992 and Adrian Drury in 1996 when the school competed at the NAIA level.
Clayton State finished the 2004 season with a 12-4-4 record and advanced for the first time in school history to the “Sweet Sixteen” of the NCAA Division II National Soccer Championships.
Dowling and Trujillo join Clayton State women’s soccer players Nkiru Okosieme and Olaitan Yusuf, giving the Laker men’s and women’s soccer teams four All-Americas this fall.
Before this fall, in a combined 16 NCAA Division II seasons (eight seasons for the women and eight for the men), both programs had a combined one All-America.
