Pereira & McKenna Named NSCAA All-Southeast Region Second Team

December 11, 2009

HARROGATE, TN - Earlier this week, Lincoln Memorial University men's soccer defender Lucas Pereira (Monte Siao, Brazil) and midfielder Aaron McKenna (Birmingham, England) were named to the 2009 National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Southeast Region Second Team.

Pereira caps his first year with the Railsplitters having earn First Team All-South Atlantic Conference and now Second Team NSCAA All-Southeaste Region honors while helping the LMU men finish the conference schedule with a 6-1-1 record.  The Railsplitters finished the 2009 season with a 10-5-1 overall record and were eliminated from the SAC Tournament in the Quarterfinals by eventual runner-up Mars Hill College.

McKenna, a three-year letter winner for the Railsplitters makes his second consecutive appearance on the NSCAA All-Southeast Region Team.  Last year as a sophomore, McKenna also earned second team all-region status and will be the only two-time all-region selection returning to the Railsplitter squad for the 2010 season.  At the beginning of this season, McKenna suffered a preseason injury that kept him sidelined for the first four matches of the year.  Throughout LMU's final 12 matches however, conference and region coaches felt he was key enough to the Railsplitter's success that he be awarded all-region recognition.

With the loss of five seniors, the 2010 Railsplitters are poised for a strong returning class and another big year in men's soccer.  LMU Head Coach Helio D'Anna has been fast on the recruiting trail and in search of the missing pieces to once again help put the Railsplitters back among the nation's elite in men's soccer.  The LMU men begin the 2010 schedule in late August.