CEDARVILLE, Ohio - On Thursday, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference 2014 Men’s Soccer Championships kicked off with the semifinal round, hosted by top overall seed Cedarville University. Prior to the start of game one between Cedarville and Alderson Broaddus, the G-MAC presented its 2014 All-Conference Individual Awards and later announced the student-athletes named to the All-Conference First and Second Teams, and the newly established All-Freshman Team.
Highlighting the presentation was the announcement of Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, which was swept by the top seeded Yellow Jackets. Connor Gilmour, the conference leader in goals and points, was named Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate Jarrett Kersten was named Defensive Player of the Year as the conference coaches voted him as the conference’s most effective defensive athlete.
As a unit, the Yellow Jackets offense has scored the most goals in the conference (45) and the defense has given up the least amount of goals (15). Cedarville posted 11 shutout victories in 18 games played this season, including six of nine conference games.
Trevecca Nazarene’s Noah Mudd was named the G-MAC Men’s Soccer Freshman of the Year, a year after his teammate Jeremiah Wright won the same award. Mudd, who is a defensive minded possession midfielder, didn’t put up the offensive numbers, but coaches took notice as he was voted the top freshman among all of the conference freshman.
Rounding out the individual awards, Cedarville Head Coach Brett Faro was voted G-MAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year for the second-straight season, as many seasons as he has lead the Yellow Jackets program. Last season, he guided the team to a 12-3-3 record and a #2 seed in the conference and this season they earned the top seed, going 7-0-1 in conference play and 12-4-2 overall. Since his arrival as an assistant and now head coach, Cedarville is 55-17-8 with Faro.
In addition to the individual awards, the G-MAC named an 11-member All-Conference First Team, a 12-member All-Conference Second Team, and its first-ever All-Freshman Team made up of the top-seven freshman players in the conference.
On the team (click here to see full list of all post-season honorees), five of the seven programs were represented, with Cedarville and Trevecca each had three players represented. Between the first and second teams, Cedarville led the way with six total honorees.
The Men’s Championship Tournament will conclude on Saturday, November 8 with the championship game kicking off at noon.
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: All-Conference First Team
CHRISTAKIS AGISILAOU - Kentucky Wesleyan College - Forward - Senior
CONNOR GILMOUR - Cedarville University - Forward - Junior
JAMES PUCCI - Davis & Elkins College - Forward - Senior
JEREMIAH WRIGHT - Trevecca Nazarene University - Forward - Sophomore
MICHAEL BRUNTON - Salem International University - Midfield - Sophomore
JUAN EGAS - Trevecca Nazarene University - Midfield - Sophomore
JARED NEWMAN - Cedarville University - Midfield - Junior
JARRETT KERSTEN - Cedarville University - Defender - Senior
DECLAN McGILL - Davis & Elkins College - Defender - Senior
TOMAS SZABO - Salem International University - Defender - Sophomore
BRAYDON BROWN - Trevecca Nazarene University - Goalkeeper - Senior
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: All-Conference Second Team
MOHAMED BAKAYOKO - Salem International University - Forward - Junior
DESHAWN PARKER - Alderson Broaddus University - Forward - Freshman
MARCO PURFUMO - Alderson Broaddus University - Forward - Freshman
BRUNO DE MORAES - Trevecca Nazarene University - Midfield - Senior
JAVIER RUIZ PEZ - Salem International University - Midfield - Sophomore
JOEL TWINEM - Cedarville University - Midfield - Sophomore
DEEMETRIUS CARTER - Kentucky Wesleyan College - Defender - Sophomore
PAUL MESSERLY - Cedarville University - Defender - Junior
ETHAN SHULA - Cedarville University - Defender - Senior
RYAN WALLS - Trevecca Nazarene University - Defender - Senior
GRANT ALLEN - Kentucky Wesleyan College - Goalkeeper - Freshman
RICARD LAO - Alderson Broaddus University - Goalkeeper - Freshman
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: All-Freshman Team
DESHAWN PARKER - Alderson Broaddus University - Forward - Freshman
MARCO PURFUMO - Alderson Broaddus University - Forward - Freshman
NOAH MUDD - Trevecca Nazarene University - Midfield - Freshman
LUIS VELASCO - Alderson Broaddus University - Midfield - Freshman
ANDREA BARBIERI - Alderson Broaddus University - Defender - Freshman
GRANT ALLEN - Kentucky Wesleyan College - Goalkeeper - Freshman
RICARD LAO - Alderson Broaddus University - Goalkeeper - Freshman