The PDL announced its 2014 All-Conference Teams on Monday, with nine players set to compete at this weekend’s 2014 PDL Championship presented by Nike among the 44 players honored for their performances this season. The 2014 PDL All-Conference Teams were selected through a vote of team management.

PDL News Release

Monday, July 28, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL announced its 2014 All-Conference Teams on Monday, with nine players set to compete at this weekend’s 2014 PDL Championship presented by Nike among the 44 players honored for their performances this season. The 2014 PDL All-Conference Teams were selected through a vote of team management.

Both the Michigan Bucks and Ocala Stampede had a trio of players selected to the All-Central and All-Southern Conference teams respectively, with the Bucks being led by standout forward Dzenan Catic. The league’s Golden Boot winner with 16 goals, Catic was joined by defender Ken Tribbett and midfielder Zach Steinberger, who earned his second consecutive All-Conference selection.

The Stampede were led by forward Ilija Ilic, who had eight goals and two assists to guide the club to its third consecutive Southeast Division title. He was joined by defender Ben Knight, who appeared in all but one of the Stampede’s games this season as they went undefeated on home turf, and midfielder Karamba Janneh, whose electrifying pace posed a challenge to opposing defenses throughout the season.

The Jersey Express had a pair of players selected to the All-Eastern Conference Team, as midfielder Walter Hines’ six goals and five assists played a key role for the highest-scoring side in the PDL. Defender Kouassi Sylvain N’Guessan also earned selection after an outstanding campaign at the heart of the Express’ defense.

Kitsap’s lone selection in the All-Western Conference side was defender Cory Keitz, who appeared in every contest and missed just 34 minutes of action as the Pumas conceded only nine goals in 14 games during the regular season.

In addition to Steinberger, five other players earned second consecutive All-Conference selections, led by the Austin Aztex duo of goalkeeper Devin Cook Perales and Antonio Rocha on the All-Southern Conference Team. The Thunder Bay Chill’s Nolan Intermoia and WSA Winnipeg’s Moses Danto earned repeat selections to the All-Central Conference Team, while the Long Island Rough Riders’ Shaun Foster was again named to the All-Eastern Conference Team.

The 2014 PDL All-League Team is set to be announced on Tuesday, with the finalists for the 2014 PDL Awards to be announced on Wednesday. The award winners will be announced at Saturday’s Championship Luncheon, part of the 2014 PDL Championship in Pontiac, Mich.

Both semifinals and the championship game at the 2014 PDL Championship presented by Nike will be streamed live on the PDL’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/USLPDL), with live updates also available through the league’s official Twitter account (@USLPDL).

2014 PDL All-Conference Teams
Eastern Conference
GK – Alex Bono, Reading United AC
D – Kouassi Sylvain N’Guessan, Jersey Express
D – Jake Stovall, Cincinnati Dutch Lions
D – Tom Wharf, Long Island Rough Riders
D – Travis Brent, West Virginia Chaos
M – Boluwatife Akinyode – NJ LUSO Parma
M – Shaun Foster, Long Island Rough Riders*
M – Walter Hines, Jersey Express
F – Anthony Grant, Seacoast United Phantoms
F – Jeff McClure, Cincinnati Dutch Lions
F – Alencar Junior, Western Mass Pioneers

Central Conference
GK – Yuta Nomura, Springfield Demize
D – Nolan Intermoia, Thunder Bay Chill*
D – Ken Tribbett, Michigan Bucks
D – Blake Jones, St. Louis Lions
D – Dan Keller, Chicago Fire U-23
M – Zach Steinberger, Michigan Bucks*
M – Drew Conner, Chicago Fire U-23
M – Ralph Lundy, Des Moines Menace
F – Chris Hellmann, Des Moines Menace
F – Moses Danto, WSA Winnipeg*
F – Dzenan Catic, Michigan Bucks

Southern Conference
GK – Devin Cook Perales, Austin Aztex*
D – Yair Hernandez, Laredo Heat
D – Walker Hume, Midland-Odessa Sockers FC
D – Ben Knight, Ocala Stampede
D – Kalen Ryden, Austin Aztex
M – Antonio Rocha, Austin Aztex*
M – Michael Lightbourne, Panama City Beach Pirates
M – Karamba Janneh, Ocala Stampede
F – Jesus Cortes, Austin Aztex
F – Ilija Ilic, Ocala Stampede
F – Adi Kavara, Panama City Beach Pirates

Western Conference
GK – William Thompson, FC Tucson
D – Ramon Martin Del Campo, San Jose Earthquakes U-23
D – James Kiffe, Ventura County Fusion
D – Cory Keitz, Kitsap Pumas
D – Jordan Farahani, Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23
M – Ricardo Velazco, FC Tucson
M – Jose Cuevas, Fresno Fuego
M – Bryan de la Fuente, LA Misionarios
F – Javier Castro, LA Misionarios
F – Cody Cook, Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23
F – Kharlton Belmar, Portland Timbers U-23s

* - Second consecutive selection