University of Connecticut Athletics
Seven Huskies Garner All-Conference Accolades
11/6/2018 1:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STORRS, Conn. - Seven players from the UConn men's soccer team earned American Athletic Conference awards for their regular season performances, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon. Two Huskies earned Player of the Year honors in their respective categories, while seven players were named to AAC All-Conference teams. Additionally, the UConn men's soccer team also collected the Team Fair Play Award for committing the fewest number of conduct fouls in the conference.
Tabbed the AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, senior captain Jacob Hauser-Ramsey proved that prediction to be correct as he claimed the 2018 American Defensive Player of the Year award. The Seattle, Wash. native led the American with four Defensive Player of the Week awards, including three straight from Oct. 2 to Oct. 16. The center back was an essential component of a UConn team that finished 10-4-2, including a 10-game unbeaten streak from Sept. 8 to Oct. 23 where the Huskies held its opponents to two goals or less and forced three shutouts! Additionally, Hauser-Ramsey was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection.
A leader for a defense that has allowed just 19 goals on the season, @UConnMSOC senior Jacob Hauser-Ramsey has been named the 2018 #AmericanMSoc Defensive Player of the Year!
— American MSoccer (@American_MSoc) November 6, 2018
??: https://t.co/i20QzohKnK pic.twitter.com/QAYs2XWPQ5
Felix Metzler took home the AAC Rookie of the Year award after a stellar freshman campaign. The defender from Frankfurt, Germany won the conference's first Rookie of the Week award for 2018 following his game-winning goal in the season opener against Lehigh. Metzler started all but one game he's appeared in, and has registered one goal and one assist on the season. He has been a key component for a UConn defense that has forced five shutouts on the season and limited its opponents to just nineteen goals on the year. Additionally, Metzler's performance earned him Second Team All-Conference and All-Rookie team honors.
Starting all but one game for UConn in his first season, @UConnMSOC's Felix Metzler has been named the 2018 #AmericanMSoc Rookie of the Year!
— American MSoccer (@American_MSoc) November 6, 2018
??: https://t.co/i20QzohKnK pic.twitter.com/OaQS6OrtPH
Senior captain Abdou Mbacke Thiam was a unanimous selection to the First Team All-Conference team, while redshirt senior Dylan Greenberg, redshirt junior Dayonn Harris and sophomore Robin Lapert played their way onto the All-Conference Second Team.
Freshmen Ibrahima Diop achieved All-Rookie Team to round out the UConn honorees. The Huskies (10-4-2, 3-2-2 American) were tied with SMU for the most players selected of any AAC team.
The announcement comes on the day of the AAC Tournament first round at the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando, Fla. Fourth-seeded UConn will play fifth-seed Temple on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on the American Digital Network.
For the fourth-straight season, Thiam recorded double-digit goals for the Huskies - leading the team with 13 goals, six assists and 32 points. He has 42 career tallies heading into Tuesday, with six of his 13 this season coming as game-winners.
It is the third-consecutive nod to the All-Conference First Team for UConn's top scorer. Thiam was named to the First Team as a junior and sophomore, while being selected to the All-Conference Second Team and Rookie Team as a freshman in 2015.
Greenberg, who started 16 games for UConn at left back, earned his second All-Conference selection after a solid defensive season. He helped the Huskies hold opponents to 1.56 goals per game.
Harris started all 15 games he appeared in, logging four goals and six assists for 13 points. The junior has netted two game-winners on the season, including the go-ahead goal in the 89th minute in a 3-2 win over Vermont.
Diop exploded onto the scene for UConn, making 13 starts in 16 appearances - logging one goal and an assist for three points in his sophomore campaign. The freshman forward scored in the conference matchup at Memphis (Sept. 28).
American Athletic Conference
2018 Men's Soccer Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Cal Jennings, Jr., F, UCF
Defensive Player of the Year
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, Sr., D, UConn
Midfielder of the Year
Louis Perez, So., M, UCF
Goalkeeper of the Year
Yannik Oettl, So., UCF
Rookie of the Year
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn
Coaching Staff of the Year
UCF
Team Fair Play Award
UConn
First Team All-Conference
F - Cal Jennings, Jr., UCF*
F - Abdou Mbacke Thiam, Sr., UConn*
F - Tomasz Skublak, Sr., USF
M - Louis Perez, So., UCF*
M - Yoni Sorokin, So., UCF
M - Emil Cuello, Sr., SMU
D - Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, Sr., UConn*
D - Talen Maples, So., SMU
D - Ben Roberts, Jr., Memphis
GK - Yannik Oettl, So., UCF
At-Large - David Zalzman, Sr., M, Memphis
Second Team All-Conference
Grant Makela, Jr., GK, SMU
Yanis Leerman, Fr., D, UCF
Dylan Greenberg, R-Sr., D, UConn
Dayonn Harris, R-Jr.., M, UConn
Robin Lapert, So., D, UConn
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn
Avionne Flanagan, So., D, USF
Alex Zis, Jr., M, USF
Garrett McLaughlin, Jr., F, SMU
Akean Shackleford, Jr., F, SMU
Lukas Fernandes, Jr., M, Temple
Chase Bromstedt, So., M, Tulsa
All-Rookie Team
Andres Hernandez Betancur, Fr., D, UCF
Yanis Leerman, Fr., D, UCF*
Ibrahima Diop, Fr., F, UConn
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn*
Gurman Sangha, Fr., M/F, Memphis
Henrique Gallina, Fr., D, USF
Knut Ahlander, Fr., M, SMU
Lane Warrington, Fr., M, SMU
Andres Charles-Barrera, Fr., M, Temple
Jalen Campbell, Fr., M, Temple
Gilles Kuhler, Fr., F, Tulsa*
*denotes unanimous selection
