JAMAICA, N.Y. -- St. Johns University junior back Chris Wingert (Babylon, N.Y.) earned first-team All-American honors, it was announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Friday prior to the NCAA College Cup.

Wingert, who was named the BIG EASTs Defensive Player of the Year and was the only unanimous selection to the all-league first team, led St. Johns to a 13-3-5 record. The Red Storm, who advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the seventh-straight year, were ranked as the No. 1 team in the country this season for five weeks.

The Red Storms team captain, he led a defensive unit that registered a school-record 13 shutouts this season, finishing the year with a 0.44 goals against average. St. Johns led the nation in goals against average, and finished second in the country with a 0.62 shutout percentage.

Wingert finished fifth on the team in scoring with three goals and two assists for eight points this season, when he was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week three times. For his career, Wingert has started 62 of 66 games, and he scored nine goals with eight assists for 26 points.

Off the field, Wingert has been equally as successful. He was a third-team Verizon Academic All-American selection last year, and earned first-team honors this year, carrying a 3.83 grade-point average in communication arts. He is a three-time member of the Red Storm Athletic Directors Honor, the BIG EAST Honor Roll and is a member of the Universitys prestigious Presidents Society.

A member of the United States U-23 National Team, Wingert was a starter for that team during much of its Summer 2002 competition. Wingert, who was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy as Division I national player of the year, departed on Sunday for Florida, where he will spend a week training with the team.

Wingert is the first St. Johns player to earn first-team All-American honors since Kevin Daly in 1997. He is the eighth Red Storm student-athlete to earn national honors, and those eight have earned 11 All-American honors.

In addition to Wingerts honor, St. Johns Head Coach Dave Masur was named the NSCAA/adidas Division I-New York regional coach of the year. Masur, who in 12 years has guided St. Johns to a 189-47-31 record and to 10 BIG EAST Tournament Championships, has earned numerous coaching during his tenure, including two National Coach of the Year awards. On top of his Coach of the Year honor, Masur was also inducted into the Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey Hall of Fame earlier this month.