Akron's Steve Zakuani is the TopDrawerSoccer.com Men's College Player of the Season, highlighting the web site's annual Team of the Season, released Friday.

Zakuani, who has led the MAC title-winners and #3 nationally Zips to a 16-1-4 season thus far, scored 20 goals and recorded seven assists while employing an electrifying on-field style that has caught the attention of observers far and wide.

Maryland midfielder Matt Kassel is the TopDrawerSoccer.com Rookie of the Season. The former New York Red Bulls youth standout established himself as a high-quality distributor from the middle of the park, both on set pieces and the run of play. Kassel's headiness and work rate were other factors in getting the nod in a hotly-contested decision. He is one of three Terrapins on the All-Rookie 1st team, along with forward Casey Townsend and goalkeeper Zac MacMath. Akron also had two players on the Rookie 1st team in Darlington Nagbe and Kofi Sarkodie.

Freshmen are not eligible for the Team of the Season, they are only eligible for the All-Rookie team.


TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season

1st Team
GK: Stefan Frei, California
D: Ike Opara, Wake Forest
D: Kevin Alston, Indiana
D: Joel Gustafsson, St. John's
M: Brad Ring, Indiana
M: Baggio Husidic, UIC
M: Mike Stephens, UCLA
M: Jeremy Hall, Maryland
F: Mike Grella, Duke
F: Steve Zakuani, Akron
F: Marcus Tracy, Wake Forest
F: Chris Pontius, UC Santa Barbara

Player of the Season: Steve Zakuani, Akron


2nd Team
GK: Zack Simmons, Massachusetts
D: Brad Rusin, UCLA
D: Yohance Marshall, South Florida
D: Matt Besler, Notre Dame
D: Omar Gonzalez, Maryland
M: Nelson Becerra, St. John's
F: O'Brian White, Connecticut
F: Peri Marosevic, Michigan
F: Doug DeMartin, Michigan State
F: Andrew Wiedeman, California
F: Matt Eliason, Northwestern
F: Conor Chinn, San Francisco


3rd Team
GK: Tyrel Lacey, Tulsa
D: Chris Schuler, Creighton
D: Barry Rice, Kentucky
D: Nick Barclay, Gonzaga
D: David Sias, UC Santa Barbara
M: Quincy Amarikwa, UC Davis
M: Bobby Warshaw, Stanford
F: Chris Salvaggione, Charlotte
F: Kyle Christianson, Denver
F: Devan Carroll, UNC Wilmington
F: Brian Shriver, North Carolina
F: Jamie Darvill, Loyola (MD)

(Note: Freshmen are not eligible for the Team of the Season – only the All-Rookie Team)


TopDrawerSoccer.com All-Rookie Team

1st Team
GK: Zac MacMath, Maryland
D: Tony Walls, Wisconsin-Green Bay
D: Kofi Sarkodie, Akron
D: Dan Wenzel, Wake Forest
M: Matt Kassel, Maryland
M: Darlington Nagbe, Akron
M: Tony Tchani, Virginia
F: Danny Mwanga, Oregon State
F: Michael Bustamante Boston University
F: Will Bruin, Indiana
F: Brian Ownby, Virginia
F: Casey Townsend, Maryland

Rookie of the Season: Matt Kassel, Maryland


2nd Team
GK: Andrew Fontein, UC Irvine
D: Sheanon Williams, North Carolina
D: Roger Downes, Loyola Marymount
M: Julian Serrato, UIC
M: Karol Chorak, Liberty
M: Jarod Stigall, Denver
F: Colin Rolfe, Louisville
F: Steffen Rabben, Old Dominion
F: Sam Garza, Denver
F: Coleton Hennings, Furman
F: Lucky Mkosana, Dartmouth
F: Austin Neil, Tulsa