Pictured: Tim Linden was honored with the Hamilton Fish 1910 Award.
Photo courtesy: David Silverman

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Harvard men's soccer team held its annual awards banquet at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Saturday.  The banquet honored the outstanding 2009 season that saw the Crimson advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament and finish the year 14-4-1 overall and 5-1-1 in the Ivy League. Harvard also captured the 13th Ivy League crown in program history.  The members of the team were also presented with Ivy League championship rings at the banquet.

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 Jr. '52 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Soccer, announced the recipients of the Crimson's four major awards.

The Hamilton Fish 1910 Award is given annually to the most improved player on the Harvard men's soccer team. This year's recipient was sophomore defender Tim Linden. Linden, who hails from Libertyville, Ill., played in 13 contests this season and registered an assist on the game-winning goal against Penn Nov. 15, helping Harvard clinch the Ivy League title.

The Seamus Malin '62 Award is presented every year 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 the University and the game. The award went to senior midfielder Adam Rousmaniere. Rousmaniere played in all 19 matches this season, started in 18 of them. The Andover, Mass., native led the Ivy League and the team with six assists, setting up two game-winning tallies. The midfielder's lone goal of the season came in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Monmouth, Nov. 22. Rousmaniere buried a free kick from 25-yards out to help the Crimson advance to the Sweet 16 of the tournament.

The Louis G. Williams '64 Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to a senior who, like Williams, displays 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. Senior midfielder Brian Grimm was this year's recipient. Grimm, a co-captain, started all 19 matches at the central midfield position. The Manalapan, N.J., native handed out three assists on the season, two coming on game-winning goals.

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. This year's award went to senior defender Kwaku Nyamekye. Nyamekye started all 19 games this season and was selected to the NSCAA All-Northeast Region first team. Nyamekye was also a unaminous pick to the All-Ivy League first team this season.

The Geneva, Switzerland native tallied a goal in the opening minutes of the Crimson's 2-1 win over Dartmouth, Oct. 31. Nyamekye was the backbone of one of the stingiest defenses in the nation, letting up only 0.79 goals per game. The Harvard backline allowed opponents just 12 shots per contest this season. The Columbus Crew selected the defender with the 60th overall pick in the fourth round of the MLS SuperDraft in January.