Xavier signee named Nebraska Player of the Year

Soon to be Xavier men’s soccer player and current Creighton Preparatory School senior forward Jake Linden was named the 2011 Gatorade Nebraska Boys Soccer Player of the Year Tuesday.    

Linden has led Creighton Prep to a perfect 18-0 record following Wednesday’s 1-0 victory in the first round of the boys state soccer tournament. The Omaha native has 14 goals and 12 assists on the year for Class A’s top-ranked team in the state.    

Head coach Andy Fleming, now in his second year at the program’s helm, called the award a reflection of the work ethic and competitive nature that made Linden one of the best players in the heartland of the country.    

“Without a question, he was one of the top three or four seniors in Nebraska and his strong senior year allowed him to move to the forefront of the ballot for player of the year honors,” Fleming said. “I’ve always believed that Nebraska is one of the strongest soccer states, making this even more of an honor for Jake.”    

The Gatorade award is one of just many accolades that Linden has received during his high school career. He was a 2010 Omaha World Herald First-Team All-State selection and is a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer 1993 Region II Olympic Development Program team.    

Linden is the sixth athlete from Creighton Prep to be named Gatorade Nebraska Boys Soccer Player of the Year and is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the year award that will be announced later this month. The annual award recognizes not only athletic excellence but academic achievement and outstanding character both on and off the field.    

Fleming hopes that Linden’s award will not only benefit Linden’s career at Xavier, but enhance the recruiting efforts of the program, which captured its first Atlantic 10 Championship and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance last season.    

"As a program still in the beginning stages of developing a winning persona, this is great news for the program and of course Jake,” Fleming said. “As we continue to mature and our recruiting escalates, I hope we can continue to attract players who are on Gatorade’s radar for their annual accolades."