The best goalie in the America East Conference this season can now have a shot at being its best player.

Binghamton University’s junior goalkeeper, Jason Stenta, is one of nine athletes in the run for the 2008 America East Men’s Soccer Fans’ Choice Player of the Year. Fans from all over the East Coast will have the opportunity to go online to Americaeast.com and vote for their favorite athlete.

This is the first year the conference has done something like this, and Stenta could not be any happier.

“It is a big acknowledgment,” Stenta said. “We’ll see how the votes go, but when I realized I was put up for it, I was excited, but at the same time I knew that I still have to focus, be ready for the upcoming game, play everything I got and maybe more people will vote this weekend.”

He started with the Bearcats his freshman year, immediately making an impression by being named second-team all-conference and being selected to the America East Conference All-Rookie squad. In just his first year he was ranked No. 18 in the NCAA men’s soccer Division I league for a goals against average of .72, and also made the AE Academic Honor Roll.

In his sophomore year, Stenta continued to excel by again being named to the AE all-conference team for a second year, and moved up to No. 12 among Division I schools with a .59 GAA.

This year, Stenta has had his most remarkable season, holding top positions in GAA (.54), save percentage (.894) and shutouts (.56) in the AE. He is ranked No. 5 and No. 8 in the nation for save percentage and GAA, respectively.

Binghamton’s men’s soccer head coach Paul Marco acknowledged that Stenta was the perfect candidate for such an honor.

“He’s certainly popular among our team, our University, our students, our friends and family,” he said. “He’s played very well. He’s got the personality within the team. I can see why they [would] elect him.”

Senior captain Barry Neville agreed with Marco.

“He’s been excellent,” Neville said. “He solves problems before they happen, which is probably why we don’t give up too many shots and had 10 clean [shutouts] or so this year, and I think that says it all about him.”

It will be up to the fans to decide if he will get the crown. His opponents include Boston University junior forward Shaun Taylor, Albany senior goalkeeper Steward Ceus and Vermont sophomore midfielder Connor Tobin.

“It would be a great accomplishment, winning an award this year,” Stenta said. “I hope I’ll win, but we’ll see how the votes come out.”