Kansas City, KS ? Carlos Villa, a member of the University of Hartford men's soccer team, has been selected to the All-Northeast Region Third Team, as announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Wednesday afternoon.  The most recent Hartford player to earn this honor for the men was Alon Lubezky, who was a four-time All-New England Team selection from 2001 to 2004.

“We are very proud of Carlos Villa's prestigious selection to the NSCAA All-Northeast Region Third Team,” commented head coach Dan Gaspar.  He continued, “It is nice to see an America East Conference player represented at the regional level.”

Villa, a junior transfer from San Jacinto College, led the Hawks in scoring with 27 points, including a team-high 12 goals, four of which were game-winners, and three assists.  The two-time America East Player of the Week (September 29 and October 13) led the conference in goals and goals per game (0.67 gpg), and was second in the league in points with 1.50 per game.  Villa played and started in all 18 games this season for the Hawks as a forward, and was selected to the America East All-Conference First Team as well as the conference's All-Championship Team.

Hartford closed out the 2008 regular season ranked fifth in the conference standings while earning a berth in the America East Championship for the second-straight season.  The Hawks dropped a 3-1 decision to the fourth-seeded Catamounts of Vermont in the quarterfinals held in Burlington on November 8.  Hartford finished with an overall record of 7-8-3, with a 3-4-1 record in the America East.