[SOCCER AMERICA AWARDS] For the third year in a row, an Akron player is Soccer America's Men's Player of the Year. After Steve Zakuani in 2008 and Teal Bunbury in 2009, Kofi Sarkodie is the recipient of the 2010 award.

Sarkodie, one of three Akron players named to the 2010 MVPs first team, was a marauding presence on the right side for the Zips.

He returned for his junior year after training at Danish club FC Midtjylland over the summer and finished with eight goals and six assists despite being bothered by a hyperextended knee.

Sarkodie had a hat trick in the 7-1 win over Michigan during the regular season and scored the winning goal, on an open header at the far post, in the 2-1 victory over the Wolverines in the Men's College Cup semifinals.

He is expected to enter the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.

2010 Soccer America Men's Player of the Year
Kofi Sarkodie, Akron
Position: Defender. Class: Junior
Hometown: Huber Heights, Ohio
High School: Edison Academy Center (Florida)
Club: Ohio FC Mutiny

SOCCER AMERICA MEN'S PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2010 -- Kofi Sarkodie, Akron
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