University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Men's Soccer: Huskies in the Pros
8/19/2020 2:02:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STORRS, Conn. - Eight former UConn men's soccer program standouts – Andre Blake, Jake Nerwinski, Cyle Larin, Abdou Thiam, George Fochive, Dayonn Harris, Kwame Awuah and Dylan Greenberg – continue to find success in their respective careers, competing among the realms of the professional ranks.
Over the course of program history, UConn has had 41 Players reach the MLS ranks and 38 selected in the MLS SuperDraft since the league began in 1997. This current group of Huskies has continued carrying the torch for UConn in the professional ranks.
Andre Blake
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— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 12, 2020
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What's New? Blake is arguably the hottest goalie in the MLS right now! He most recently led his team to the semifinals of the MLSisBack tournament in Orlando, Fla., racking up 27 saves and allowing just seven goals in 450 minutes of action. Additionally, at the conclusion of the tournment he was named the MLS is Back Tournament Golden Glove presented by Allstate winner. During the 2019 campaign, Blake played and started in 26 games, stopped 57 shots and posted 11 wins - including three shutouts, and made his second start in net at the MLS All-Star game.
Blake was taken first overall by the Philadelphia Union in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, - the first-ever goalkeeper taken with the top pick. His incredible performances in net have earned him MLS All-Star selections in 2016 and 2019, the MLS Goal Keeper of the Year Award and MLS Best 11 in 2016, as well as the CONCACAF Golden Glove Award in 2017. Additionally he is the starting goalie for the Jamaican National team, playing 45 games with the team thus far. Blake helped lead his team to the Caribbean Cup in 2014, and has been a CONCACAF Gold Cup runner up in both 2015 and 2017.
UConn Career Recap: Blake had a tremendous career in a Husky uniform, leading the Huskies to three consecutive NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals while earning 37 shutouts and 46 wins in three years as a starter, which ranks third and fourth (by a UConn goalie) all-time in program history, respectively. Additionally, he was a NSCAA First Team All-American for the second consecutive season earning Third Team All-American as a freshman.
Jake Nerwinski
What's New? Nerwinski is in his fourth season with the Vancouver Whitecaps at right back. Scored 2 goals in the 1st two games of the season for the Whitecaps this year as a right back to start 2020 season.
Nerwinski was taken with the seventh overall pick by the Whitecaps back in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. He's started 71 matches in 75 career appearances, contributing two goals and six assists.
UConn Career Recap: Nerwinski was a three-time All-Conference member with the Huskies, including First Team All-Conference selections during his final two seasons. He was a two-time captain at UConn and contributed on both ends of the field. Defensively, Nerwinski made 75 starts in 81 matches and was a part of 34 Husky shutouts. He tallied five goals and dished out 17 assists over his career.
Cyle Larin
What's New? Larin is currently playing for a club on loan called Zulte Waregem, in the Belgium 1st Division. He has made 28 starts in 29 appearances, notched seven goals and provided 10 assists in nearly 2500 minutes.
Larin made history when he was selected with the top overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City, making UConn the first program to have back-to-back top overall picks in the draft. Larin had a sensational rookie campaign, taking home MLS Rookie of the Year honors after racking up 17 goals (6th among all players), which broke the all-time MLS rookie goal record previously held by former Husky Damani Ralph. Additionally, his four game-winning scores that season ranked in the top-15 in the league, while his 0.80 goals per 90 minutes mark ranked in the top-10.
In 2018, Larin moved on to Besiktas, which plays in the 1st division in Turkey, and tallied a goal in his debut. During that year, he played matches in the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League, which featured scoring a hat trick in that tournament on August 2nd vs. B36 Torshavn. Additionally, Larin had been a regular starter for the Canadian National Team, playing in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, 2018 World Cup qualifier, 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
UConn Career Recap: Larin shined in his two seasons at Storrs as he led the team in total points both years. For his career, he posted 37 starts in 39 games and racked up 52 points on 23 goals and six assists. As a freshman, Larin earned American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year honors after finishing first in the AAC with 14 total goals and 31 total points, while also tallying a team-best five game-winners to go along with three assists.
As a sophomore, Larin's domination earned him Offensive Player of the Year. He ranked first among AAC players in game-winners (3), goals per game (0.56) and points per game (1.31), while finishing second in the league with nine total goals. His 0.56 goals per game ranked 21st among Division I players, and his 1.31 points per game was the 28th-best mark nationally.
Abdou Thiam
What's New? Thiam is in his second season with Lousiville City of the USL. During his rookie campaign, Thiam appeared in 23 games with 12 starts while adding three goals and four assists, finishing the season tied for fourth on the team in assists and fifth in goals.
Thiam signed with LouCity in January of 2019 following a stellar college career and an invite to the 2019 MLS Combine.
UConn Career Recap: Thiam started in all 77 possible games in his Huskies career, proving to be a volatile threat on the offensive end of the field. His 46 career goals is tied for fourth all-time in program history, while his 110 career points is tied for sixth all-time on the UConn points list. Thiamranked top-five in the AAC in at least four offensive categories during each of his last two seasons in Storrs, and his on-field performances garnered three All-AAC First Team selections, one Second Team and an All-Rookie Team selection – the latter two stemming from a breakout freshman season. Additionally, Thiam was a two-time United Soccer All-East Region selection, earning First Team in 2018 and Second Team in 2017.
George Fochive
What's New? Most recently (July 2020), Fochive signed with Hapoel Kfar Saba of the Israeli League. He has made 20 appearances on the pitch, scoring one goal.
Fochive was drafted 39th overall by the Portland Timbers in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. In 2015 Fochive competed in 11 matches with eight starts and chipped in an assist, helping the Timbers capture the MLS Cup.
Other previous stops include Viborg FF of the Danish Superliga (2016) and Hapoel Hadera of the Israeli Premier League (2019).
UConn Career Recap: Fochive played two years at UConn after transferring from Hawaii Pacific University, starting all 45 games for the Huskies while adding a pair of goals during that span and helped them reach the NCAA Quarterfinals in both seasons. The Paris, France native was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Northeast First Team after leading the UConn defense to 12 shutouts and a 0.69 goals against average in 2013, good for the 11th-best mark in the country.
What's New? Harris signed with the Real Monarchs of the USL in February 2020. He was drafted by Real Salt Lake with the 20th pick in the most recent MLS SuperDraft.
UConn Career Recap: Harris transferred to UConn following a one-year stint at Penn State. He started in all 39 matches he appeared in for the Huskies, registering seven goals and 16 assists for his career, which included nine assists as a senior, which ranking 10th in NCAA Division I. Additionally, Harris earned a nod to the AAC All-Conference First Team in 2019, as well as AAC All-Conference and United Soccer All-East Region Second Team honors in 2018.
Kwame Awuah:
What's New? Awuah signed with Canadian Premier League club Forge FC back in January 2019. Since then, Awuah has appeared in 29 games, logging 2,037 total minutes and chipping in five assists.
Awuah was drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by NYCFC, playing in 10 games between 2017 and 2018.
UConn Career Recap: Awuah started in 82 of a possible 83 games in his Huskies career and contributed eight goals and 26 assists, including a pair of scores in UConn's 3-1 comeback win over Boston University in the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 19. He was a two-time AAC All-Conference First Team honoree (2015, '16) earning his spot on the team in 2016 after contributing two goals and seven assists during the season, the latter ranking second in the conference. Additionally, he was honored in 2015 as the AAC Co-Midfielder of the Year after leading the conference with 12 assists.
What's New? Greenberg signed with Olympians FC in the UPSL and currently plays with them.
UConn Career Recap: Greenberg earned an invite to the 2019 MLS combine following his senior season with the Huskies. Greenberg was a two-time All-Conference selection during his career in the UConn uniform. He contributed on both ends of the field. Defensively, Greenberg was a part of 33 shutouts and served as an integral part of the UConn defense that allowed just a 0.96 goals against average in 2017 and a conference-leading 0.77 goals against average in 2016. On the offensive end, Greenberg tallied three goals and four assists.
