BOSTON – The Harvard men's soccer team held its annual awards banquet at the Harvard Club of Boston Saturday.  The banquet honored the successful 2008 season that saw the Crimson advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament and finish the year 12-6-0 overall and 5-2-0 in the Ivy League.

With varsity and junior varsity players as well as player families and members of the administration in attendance, Jamie Clark, the Virginia B. and James O. Welch '52 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Soccer, announced the recipients of the Crimson's four major awards.

The first award presented was the Hamilton Fish 1910 Award, given annually to the most improved player on the Harvard men's soccer team, as selected by his teammates.  The award went to sophomore midfielder/defender Robert Millock, who started all 18 games last season.  Millock collected an assist in Harvard's 2-0 win over Cornell Oct. 11 and helped the Crimson surrender only 18 goals in 18 games.

Next, Clark handed out the Seamus Malin '62 Award, awarded annually to the player who has, through love of the game and commitment to the University, demonstrated the values shown by Malin in his long and continuing association with Harvard and the game of soccer.  This award was given to senior co-captain and defender Luke Sager, an All-Ivy League honorable mention pick.  Sager started all 17 games he appeared in and handed out two assists last fall. 

In recognition of the commitment of James O. Welch, Jr. '52 & Virginia B. Welch to the Harvard men's soccer program, the Welch Award is presented annually to the most valuable player as voted by the players.  The award went to senior midfielder John Stamatis.  A unanimous All-Ivy League first team choice, Stamatis started all 18 games and ranked first in the Ivy League in assists with nine.  He also scored six goals and finished third on the Crimson with 21 points. Stamatis concluded his career tied for fifth on Harvard's all-time assist list with 23 helpers.

The final award of the night was the Louis G. Williams '64 Memorial Trophy, presented annually to a senior on the Harvard soccer team who, like Williams, displayed exceptional athletic skill, sportsmanship and devotion to the team.  Williams was an All-Ivy and All-America soccer player, a class marshal and Rhodes Scholar.  The award was given to senior co-captain Michael Fucito.  Fucito, who was selected by the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, was a NSCAA All-America second-team honoree for the second straight year and an All-Ivy League first-team selection for the third time in his career.  Fucito, a forward, was second on the Crimson with nine goals and 23 points, finishing his career with 88 points (32-24), the fourth most in program history. 

Harvard also held its annual alumni game this weekend, which took place Friday evening at Harvard Stadium.