Briefs: Pair of Lions lauded

Vanguard University men’s soccer standouts Kevin Cornwall and Kyle O’Brien were both named NAIA All-American.

Cornwall, a junior forward, was a first-team honoree, while O’Brien, a sophomore midfielder, made the third team.

Cornwall, the Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year, had 16 goals and three assists to help the Lions win the program’s first outright regular-season conference title and reach the NAIA Tournament for the first time. Half of his goals were game-winners.

O’Brien had 11 goals and seven assists to finish second on the team with 49 points (two for a goal and one for an assist). O’Brien helped the Lions finish 14-8, though they forfeited five wins and one tie early in the season due to an eligibility violation.

The Lions finished 9-1 in the GSAC and won the conference tournament. They took an 11-game winning streak into the NAIA Tournament, in which they lost, 2-1, to No. 4-ranked Notre Dame College of Ohio.

— From staff reports

Walker gets into combine

UC Irvine’s Amani Walker has been invited to participate in the 2011 Adidas Major League Soccer Combine.

Walker is one of 54 college seniors hailing from 36 Division I schools. The player combine will be held at Central Broward Regional Park in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., from Jan. 7-11. The combine will separate all players into four teams and feature two games per day on Jan. 8, 10 and 11.

Walker, the Big West Co-Offensive Player of the Year, was most recently named an NSCAA All-Far West Region honoree after leading UCI to a 14-3-3 record. Walker sits among the national leaders in total goals scored (24th), total points (44th) and points per game (53rd). The forward paced the Anteaters with 11 goals and two assists for 24 points on the year.

The initial player list was determined by a panel of Division I college coaches, representing all conferences, who nominated and voted for players in conjunction with MLS coaches. These players will be joined by Generation Adidas players, additional collegiate players from NCAA Division II and III schools, NAIA schools, and Division I alternates.

The final player list, combine coaches, and team assignments will be announced in the coming weeks.

— From staff reports