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Soccer is one of the most successful sports at the College and over the years several individuals have been selected National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-Americans, including former Cathedral High School standout David Hendrickson of Springfield. Larocca, however, is the first Golden Bears' player to earn a spot on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas NCAA Division III All-America Team. He was voted to the national Third Team. Larocca served as a team captain this past fall and was a key performer in the program's rise to national prominence. Western New England College posted a 16-6-2 record with Larocca dominating the midfield area and captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title to earn a third visit to the NCAA Division III Championship. The Golden Bears advanced to the sectional tournament round of 16 for the second straight season and were ranked 18th in the final NSCAA Division III poll. Larocca, a Dean's List student majoring in Marketing, is the only three-time All-NSCAA New England All-Star in the program's 41-year history. He was a three-time All-GNAC First Team honoree and and scored 47 points (12 goals, 23 assists) during his career. Not surprisingly, Larocca gives a lot of credit for his success to his teammates and coaches. "Considering all the outstanding players that have come before me, it is a great honor and privilege to be recognized with this award," he said. "To be honest, I was shocked that I had been selected to the team. If you had asked me a few years earlier in my career if I thought I had a chance to become an All-American, I would have said no. But I know that without the hard work and sacrifice of those players and coaches in the past, none of the opportunities that I have had as an athlete here would have been possible. "Without my teammates, coaches, and the athletic administration, I wouldn't have been recognized in this manner. As teammates, we continually pushed and encouraged one another through the good times and the bad. Our coaches made sure that our team was well prepared for every match and demanded the best of us. For that, I am very grateful to have found a place where I played to my fullest potential for four years," Larocca remarked. According to Western New England College coach Erin Sullivan, "It is fitting that Tim received this highest honor as a capstone to his tremendous career. He has been the consummate warrior for us and is undoubtedly one of the best two-way players in the nation. "His winning attitude and relentless work ethic challenged all of our players to elevate their performances. Best of all, he has demonstrated the ideal characteristics of a true scholar-athlete while consistently competing at the highest level,""stated Sullivan. | ||||||
