Aug. 20, 2008

Chicago, Ill.- UIC junior goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja (Belgrade, Serbia/VI Belgrade) was named to the 2008 College Soccer News Preseason All-America First Team, the national site announced late Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Bubonja, who was also named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List as a candidate for national player of the year honors this week, earned preseason All-American accolades for the second straight year. He was named to the College Soccer News Preseason All-America Third Team and the MajorLeagueSoccer Magazine Preseason All-America Team prior to last season.

"For Jovan to be acknowledged as a Preseason All-American and member of the Hermann Watch List shows what other people have been saying and something that we've all known for a long time: there is not a better collegiate goalkeeper in the country, and there probably hasn't been one in his class for many years," said UIC head coach John Trask. "The nice thing about these accolades is that they speak volumes about the whole team's performance, because a goalkeeper relies on his teammates probably more than anyone else on the field.

"I'm sure Jovan would be the first to admit that his accomplishments are due to many players over the past few years believing and defending alongside him."

Following a 2007 campaign in which he posted a 0.56 goals-against average and a school-record 12 shutouts, Bubonja was named to the 2007 College Soccer News All-America Second Team. He has also been a finalist for NSCAA/adidas All-American honors in each of the last two seasons by way of his back-to-back selections to the NSCAA/adidas All-Great Lakes Region First Team.

The Serbian netminder posted three consecutive clean sheets in the 2007 NCAA Tournament to help the Flames advance to the national quarterfinals, the farthest any UIC men's soccer team has ever advanced in the postseason.

Bubonja has accumulated 22 shutouts, already the most clean sheets in a career by any UIC keeper, while posting an impressive career goals-against average of 0.47 in his two seasons between the posts for the Flames.

UIC opens the 2008 preseason this Friday, Aug. 22 against Tulsa at the Gallagher College Friendlies in St. Louis, Mo. Kick-off is slated for 8 p.m. Central.