[SOCCER AMERICA AWARDS] Akron sophomore Teal Bunbury, who led the nation with 17 goals, earned 2009 Soccer America Player of the Year honors. It's the second year in a row an Akron player was named Player of the Year and only the third time a sophomore won the award, which was first handed out in 1984. Steve Zakuani, another sophomore, was the 2008 Player of the Year.

Bunbury is the son of former Canada international Alex Bunbury, who spent seven seasons at Portuguese club Maritimo before finishing up his career with MLS's Kansas City Wizards. Alex says his son is more of a natural goalscorer than he was.

Teal Bunbury, a product of the Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minn.) High School's soccer program, headed the nation's most potent attack (2.32 goals a game). Five of his goals were game-winners, and four of his five assists set up winning goals.

Zakuani, who also led the nation in goals in 2008, signed as the No. 1 pick in the MLS SuperDraft with the Seattle Sounders.

The only other sophomore to win Player of the Year honors was Virginia's Claudio Reyna, who won the first of back-to-back awards in 1992.

2009 Soccer America Men's Player of the Year
Teal Bunbury, Akron
Position: Forward. Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Prior Lake, Minn.
High School: Shattuck-St. Mary's High School
Club: Shattuck-St. Mary's High School

SOCCER AMERICA MEN'S PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2009 -- Teal Bunbury, Akron
2008 -- Steve Zakuani, Akron
2007 -- O'Brian White, Connecticut
2006 -- Joseph Lapira, Notre Dame
2005 -- Jason Garey, Maryland
2004 -- Ryan Pore, Tulsa
2003 -- Joseph Ngwenya, Coastal Carolina
2002 -- Alecko Eskandarian, Virginia
2001 -- Luchi Gonzalez, SMU
2000 -- Chris Gbandi, Connecticut
1999 -- Aleksey Korol, Indiana
1998 -- Wojtek Krakowiak, Clemson
1997 -- Ben Olsen, Virginia
1996 -- Johnny Torres, Creighton
1995 -- Mike Fisher, Virginia
1994 -- A.J. Wood, Virginia
1993 -- Claudio Reyna, Virginia
1992 -- Claudio Reyna, Virginia
1987-91 -- No winner announced
1986 -- Paul Caligiuri, UCLA, John Kerr, Duke
1985 -- Michael Brady, American
1984 -- Paul DiBernardo, Indiana