two mules earn all-america honors

Two Muhlenberg fall athletes received third-team All-America honors after leading their respective teams to the NCAA playoffs in 2007.

Muhlenberg’s first-ever All-America goalie, Bennett also made the NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic first team. Senior back Jonathan Kliewer was voted to the second team.

Senior goalkeeper Peter Bennett of the Muhlenberg men’s soccer team was selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas All-America third team.

Bennett started all 17 games for the Mules in 2007 and allowed only 12 goals, finishing with a 0.73 goals-against average and .826 save percentage. He recorded eight shutouts and gave up more than one goal only twice in 15 regular-season games.

A first-team All-Centennial Conference selection, Bennett helped Muhlenberg tie for the CC regular-season championship with a 7-2 league mark. He posted a conference-leading 0.45 goals-against average and .879 save percentage in CC matches and did not allow a goal in his last 486 minutes in the CC regular season. The Mules lost to Johns Hopkins in the semifinals of the CC playoffs and to Virginia Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, ending with a record of 12-5.

Bennett finished his career with a 0.87 goals-against average, .794 save percentage and 20 shutouts. The three-year starter had a record of 33-15-4 in 52 career starts.

Bennett is the ninth All-American in team history, the first since Evan Smallwood was a second-team choice in 2003.

Johnson averaged 15.5 yards per catch.

Senior tight end Matt Johnson of the Muhlenberg football team was named to the D3football.com All-America third team, announced prior to Saturday’s Stagg Bowl.

Johnson was the leading receiver for the Centennial Conference-champion Mules, setting school records for receptions (54), yards (837) and touchdowns (six) by a tight end in his first year at that position after previously lining up at running back and quarterback. He was a first-team All-CC pick and was named CC player of the week after catching eight passes for 116 yards in Muhlenberg’s title-clinching win at Ursinus.

Johnson finished the season on a roll, catching 31 passes for 455 yards the last five weeks against teams that finished with a combined record of 42-13. He set a school record for tight ends with 128 receiving yards against Wesley in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, although the Mules lost, 38-21, to finish with an 11-1 record.

Johnson ended his career with a rare combination of more than 1,000 yards receiving (1,059), 750 yards rushing (752) and 750 yards passing (875). He had a hand in 19 touchdowns – six rushing, six passing and seven receiving.

Muhlenberg has produced at least one All-American seven of the last nine years. The last before Johnson was linebacker Dan McCall in 2004.