Terry Gibbs of Bloomfield College is CACC's "Men’s Soccer Player of the Year"

By Bloomfield College student, Widemonde Lafond

Terry Gibbs isn’t just any soccer player. He’s the soccer player that everyone - even fans for the other team - watches when he’s on the field. Others may secretly wish the 24-year-old London, England-native was on their team, but Bloomfield College has got him.

That’s been a major coup for BC. Gibbs was recently named the 2011 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men’s Soccer Player of the Year and was also named to the 2011 All-Conference team. Those honors, which are determined by the 12 CACC head coaches, cap a season that saw Gibbs named to the Capital-One Academic All-District First Team. He was also selected twice this season as the Conference Player of the Week.

"This is a tremendous honor for Terry, and he certainly deserves it," BC head coach Peter-John Falloon told a reporter for the United Soccer League.  The USL is the biggest elite level soccer league in North America when asked about the Soccer Player of the Year honor.

“He has a tremendous work-ethic, and has turned himself into the great player he is through his hard work. He has been a fine example for our program since arriving here, and he deserves any recognition that comes his way. He is truly an outstanding player, and I have no doubt he will succeed at the next level."

This is the second consecutive season that the conference Player of the Year has come from BC.

While the BC Men’s Soccer Team lost in the first round of the CACC Conference Championships earlier this month, there’s still plenty of buzz about Gibbs.

The BC senior is ranked No. 51 on Topdrawersoccer.com’s Top 100 Senior Professional Prospects’ list, the only Division II player to make the list. According to the United Soccer Leagues, he ranks second in the nation for scoring with 18 goals and is the top scorer in the CACC conference with 43 total points. He also ranks fourth in NCAA Division II soccer in points per game (2.71), and is fifth in the entire country in total points, and second in the entire country in goals per game (1.14).

Aside form his impressive stats, Coach Falloon said he liked Gibb’s attitude.

“Despite (his) strong and potentially bright future in the soccer league, he remains humble,” Falloon said.

Gibbs, who is one of three BC players from London, credited his childhood friend and BC teammate Michael Beeson for encouraging him to come to BC.

When he’s not working out or thinking about soccer, Gibbs said he’s enjoyed life in Bloomfield and in New Jersey and said the atmosphere is similar in some ways to where he grew up in London.

“I grew up in London so the hustle and bustle of being next to the city (In New Jersey) is just like being at home,” he said. “In fact, nowadays I don't even notice the difference in people accents and personas because I have been here so long it's pretty much the norm for me.”

 Now that the BC soccer season is finished, Gibbs will focus on completing his degree in international business. But he has stated plans to go pro after graduation.

“When I am not playing soccer you will mostly find me either watching it on TV or playing it on my PS3,” Gibbs said. “Soccer is my passion and it is all I think about.”