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NEW CASTLE, DE -- Sargbah Tarpeh, Fatoma Turay, Nickalus McDonald, Jamal Wiggins, and Dave Dease of Wilmington University have earned Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Soccer All-American honors for their performances this past season, it was announced on Dec. 1. Tarpeh was a first team selection. 

Tarpeh, a senior forward, was also named the Daktronics East Region Player of the Year. He was the catalyst of the Wildcat offense and led the team in almost every offensive category, including goals (21), assists (11), and game winning goals (7). He paced the CACC in points, goals, assists, shots, points per game and assists per game. His offensive contributions ranked 6th in Division II in points per game and assists per game, and 7th in the nation in goals per game. His 54 points this season set a single-season CACC record. A four-time All-CACC First Team selection, he was also named the CACC Player of the Year.  Tarpeh became the first Wildcat to earn Regional Player of the Year Honors in men's soccer. 

McDonald and Wiggins were both named to the third team.  McDonald, a sophomore midfielder, netted 12 goals and six assists this season. He was third in the CACC in points, and tied for fourth in goals and assists.  Wiggins, a junior back, was one of the anchors of the Wildcat defense.  He helped lead a defense that finished second in the CACC in goals against average (0.87) and in goals allowed (20; 0.85/game). He helped the ‘Cats to seven shutouts this season and led the squad to a ranking of 25^th in the nation in team goals against average.  Both Wiggins and McDonald were First-Team All-Conference and First Team All-East Region award winners.

Turay and Dease each earned honorable mention.  Turay, a senior midfielder, finished second on the squad in assists (9). He was fourth on the team in points (15), and ranked second in the conference in assists.  Dease, a senior defender, helped anchor the Wildcat defense that finished second in the CACC in goals against average (0.87) and in goals allowed (20; 0.85/game). He helped the ‘Cats to seven shutouts this season and led the squad to a ranking of 25^th in the nation in team goals against average. Both Turay and Dease were First-Team All-Conference and First Team All-East Region honorees.

Together, these five players helped Wilmington end the 2009 campaign with a stellar 19-3-1 overall record, including a perfect 11-0 mark in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). The season saw many highs, including the highest national ranking in school history (9th), highest regional ranking in program history (1st), and six members honored with All-Conference awards. Head Coach Nick Papanicolas was named CACC Coach of the Year and the squad claimed the CACC regular season title.

The five Wilmington student-athletes were the only members of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference to earn All-American honors.  They become the first Wildcats to earn All-American accolades since Wilmington made the move to NCAA Division II in the fall of 2003.