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Burlington County College's Jack Verth named All-American in soccer; three others named to regional soccer teams

Burlington County College (BCC) defender Jack Verth was named to the First Team of 2013 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I All-Americans, the first Baron to earn the distinction in 17 years.

Verth’s recognition highlighted several postseason awards earned by the Barons and Lady Barons soccer players. Verth, teammates Augusto Trento, Caio Machado, and Lady Baron Megan Harvis, were all named to regional teams.

“I am humbled by this honor, which is a testament to all of my teammates and coaches, and the hard work we put into the tremendously exciting season we had,” Verth, of Edinburgh, Scotland, said. “We proved that Burlington County College soccer can compete with any team in the country and this award is another example of the high-level soccer we play here.”

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Verth, a sophomore who currently lives in Pemberton Borough, was a defender and captain of the men’s soccer team that advanced to the national championship tournament this year for the first time since 1996. It finished the season 15-3-3 as the 11th ranked NJCAA Division I team in the country.

Verth chose BCC because of the opportunity to continue playing soccer while advancing his education, which is not possible in his native Scotland where young athletes have to postpone their education until after their playing career. He was recruited to BCC by Head Coach Craig Dewar, also from Scotland.

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“Jack is one of the most talented players and dedicated teammates I’ve had the privilege of coaching. He truly deserves this recognition,” Dewar said. “Jack is a leader on a team full of winners who poured their souls out on the pitch every game. The entire Barons team is proud of his accomplishment.”

For the fall 2013 season, Verth played in 21 games, scoring 10 goals with 10 assists, totaling 30 points on 22 shots. He had a .455 shot percentage.

Verth plans to graduate this spring and transfer to a four-year institution where he can continue playing soccer while earning a bachelor’s degree.

He was also named to the First Team of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s (NSCAA) Men's Junior College Division I All-East Region Teams. Two teammates were named to the Second Team:

      Augusto Trento, of Leominster, Mass., a sophomore midfielder.
      Caio Machado, of Burlington Township, a freshman forward.

For the Lady Barons, Megan Harvis, of Delran, a sophomore midfielder, was named to the NSCAA Junior College Division I Women’s All-North Region.

“These four athletes earned this recognition through their hard work, teamwork and sportsmanship,” BCC Athletic Director Heather Conger said. “They represent the best of Burlington County College’s soccer program, which is filled with talented student athletes.”



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