WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate student Mike Nikiforov (Framingham, Mass./Framingham)  of the Bentley University men's soccer team has been named the 2010 Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Year. Nikiforov and sophomore Weston Zeiner (North Granby, Conn./Granby Memorial) were also named first team All-Conference, giving Bentley two, first team All-Conference choices for the first time since 1999.

Nikiforov led the way for one of the NE-10's best defensive teams, which has allowed just 10 goals all season and has posted 10 clean sheets. Nikiforov has eight of those shutouts, including five in a row as the team heads into the postseason. His goals against average of 0.61 is second in the league and his .877 save percentage is third. He becomes just the second Falcon to earn Goalkeeper of the Year honors, joining Matt Parsons in 2003.

Zeiner, who was named to the All-Rookie team last season, follows that up with a first team nod at defense. The 6-2 Zeiner has started all 17 games thus far, and is one of five players to share the team lead in goals with three. He's also added two assists for eight points, which places him in a tie for second on the squad.

Freshman midfielder Cody Osgood (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield School) earned both third team All-Conference and All-Rookie honors. He's played in all 17 games with nine starts and has three goals to his credit. One of his goals was the game-winner against Merrimack on Homecoming Day on Oct. 23.

Sophomore midfielder Riley Rodgers (Hollis, N.H./Hollis Brookline) joins Osgood on the All-Rookie team. Rodgers has played in every game this year and started 10, netting one goal and assisting on another. His first collegiate goal came in overtime of a 2-1 win at NYIT on Sept. 21.

Bentley finished the regular season with a record of 10-2-5 overall and 7-1-5 in the conference, earning the third seed for the NE-10 Tournament. They host New Haven in the quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.