Oct. 7, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason University junior goalkeeper John O'Hara of the men's soccer team has been selected as the co-Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week. The award is for accomplishments from Sept. 29-Oct. 5, and it is the second time O'Hara has been so honored in his career. He shares the award with Virginia Commonwealth senior Matthew Delicate, who also was selected as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I co-Player of the Week while O'Hara was named the ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week.

In addition, sophomore forward Steve Alabi is ranked nationally for goals and points per game for the fifth straight week, and senior defender Keith Nakai was selected to the Team of the Week chosen by College Soccer News.

As a team, George Mason (7-2-3, 2-0 in the CAA) is ranked tied for 10th in the South Atlantic Region, marking the fourth time in the past five weeks it has been ranked in the poll. The Patriots also are ranked tied for 11th in the nation for shutout percentage at 0.58 per game (seven in 12 contests).

O'Hara posted three shutouts last week as the Patriots blanked nationally ranked North Carolina (0-0 in double overtime) and CAA foes Hofstra (1-0 in overtime) and Drexel (2-0). The 6-1, 185-pounder has not allowed a goal in the last 385:06 played by George Mason as the Patriots have recorded four straight shutouts. O'Hara has six full shutouts (tied for second in the CAA) this season and shared another, and he has a 1.05 goals-against average (third in the CAA) and 33 saves in 12 games. For his career, he ranks third in Patriot history with 18 shutouts and fifth with 175 saves, and he has a 1.19 GAA (61 goals allowed in 4,632 minutes).

Alabi, who has nine goals and three assists for 21 points this season, is ranked tied for 23rd in the country with 0.75 goals per game and tied for 25th in the nation with 1.75 points per game. A second-team All-CAA pick last year, the 5-8, 150-pound Alabi leads the CAA and is second in the South Atlantic Region in goals, while he is second in the conference and the region in points per game. He has four multi-goal games in his career, including a pair of two-goal efforts this season, and has scored 17 goals in just 24 career contests.

Nakai has helped anchor the George Mason defense this season as the Patriots have posted those seven shutouts. He also has come up big offensively with his long throw-ins as he is tied for the team lead at three assists with Alabi and junior defender Danny Climo. The 6-0, 165-pound Nakai gained the assist on Mason's second goal against Drexel Sunday as his long throw from the right sideline was headed in at the left post by junior Karim Manneh.

George Mason continues its CAA slate of games this week as it travels to Delaware Friday at 7 p.m. and to Towson Sunday at 1 p.m.