The Monmouth University men's soccer team is reaching new heights this fall. The Hawks (9-0-1) have earned a top 10 ranking for the first time in the program's history. Coach Robert McCourt's squad is ranked No. 10 in this week's NSCAA/adidas national rankings.

The No. 10 national ranking is not only the highest ranking ever achieved by the soccer team, it is the highest that any Monmouth sports team has ever been nationally ranked.

Monmouth is ranked No. 2 in the North Atlantic Region.

Helping the Hawks attain their success is freshman midfielder Ryan Clark, a Freehold Township High School graduate who was recently named the adidas/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week for the second time.

Clark has scored four goals and has three assists for 11 points. He is second on the team and in the Northeast Conference in scoring behind teammate Ryan Kinne.

Clark leads the NEC in game-winning goals (three). He scored Monmouth's goal in a 1-0 win over Loyola, Md., on Sept. 25. He buried a feed from fellow freshman Cody Calafiore (Howell) in the 78th minute to nail down the victory.

Kinne (Naugtuck, Conn.) is tops in the NEC in scoring with five goals and three assists for 13 points.

Calafiore has two assists for the Hawks, and another area product, George Quintano (Manalapan), has scored one goal.M

onmouth was ranked 24th the first time it made the NSCAA/adidas national rankings and has slowly climbed up the rankings with each win. The Hawks went from No. 24 to No. 19 to No. 14 before being ranked No. 10.

The Hawks' defense also enjoys a national ranking. In eight matches, they have allowed three goals. Their 0.38 goals allowed per game average is sixth best in the nation, as is their 63 percent shutout percentage (seven shutouts in 10 games).

Daniel Bostock (Nottinghamshire, England/Virginia Intermont), Anthony Vazques

(Middletown North), R.J. Allen (Old Bridge/St. Joseph's) and Christian Nogueira (Kearny) are the defensive quartet who have played well all year.

Keeper Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains-Fanwood) began the week ranked 15th in the nation with a save percentage of 88.5. He is 10th in goals against average (9.38). Monmouth's offense, led by Clark and Kinne, ranks 21st in the nation with a 2.13 goals per-game average.

The Hawks are now in the middle of their NEC schedule. On Oct. 9, Monmouth will host St. Francis College, N.Y., in West Long Branch at 3 p.m. On Oct. 11, Long Island University will make a trip to the Monmouth campus for a match that starts at 1 p.m.

Monmouth, which was the preseason pick to win the NEC title, will close the season with three straight conference games at home against Central Connecticut State (Oct. 30, 3 p.m.), Quinnipiac (Nov. 1, 1 p.m.), and Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 6, 3 p.m.).

The NEC Tournament will be played on Nov. 13 and Nov. 15 at a site to be determined.