Scott Caldwell Named MAC Player of the Year

November 08 | Men's Soccer

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AKRON, Ohio – For the sixth consecutive season, the University of Akron men's soccer team swept the Mid-American Conference speciality awards as Scott Caldwell was named Player of the Year, Dillon Serna shared Newcomer of the Year honors and Caleb Porter was selected as Coach of the Year, the league office announced Thursday.

Caldwell, who is the Zips' points' leader with nine goals – including a trio of game winners – and six assists this season, is the 10th Akron player to earn the league's highest individual honor since 1993 and follows Darren Mattocks (2011), Darlington Nagbe (2010), Teal Bunbury (2009), Steve Zakuani (2008), Corey Sipos (2007), Sinisa Ubiparipovic (2006) and Ross McKenzie (2005) as the eighth consecutive Akron player to receive the award.

Caldwell has started all 18 games at midfield and is a candidate for the Hermann Trophy, which is the equivalent of the NCAA Player of the Year honor, as well as one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award. His nine goals represent a career high.

Serna, who shares the award with Bowling Green junior Anthony Grant, is the 11th UA player to earn the league's newcomer honors and the seventh in the last eight seasons, following Wil Trapp (2011), Mattocks (2010), Zarek Valentin (2009), Nagbe (2008), Zakuani (2007) and Evan Bush (2005). The versatile Serna, who has played at left back, attacking mid and striker this season, has started 17 of 18 matches and leads the team with eight assists to go along with a pair of goals.

It is the sixth consecutive season Porter, who has the highest career winning percentage among all active Division I coaches, was been named MAC Coach of the Year. Porter became one of the fastest in the history of college soccer to reach 100 career wins last season and enters this weekend's conference tournament with an overall record of 120-18-16 (.831) and a mark of 39-1-1 (.963) in MAC play.

The seventh-year coach has led UA to at least a share of the MAC regular-season championship each season and has won four of the last five MAC Tournament titles.

Also announced Thursday, Akron landed 10 players on the All-MAC team, including seven first-team selections.

Joining Caldwell and Serna on the First Team were Chad Barson, Reinaldo Brenes, David Meves, Trapp and DeAndre Yedlin. Bryan Gallego, Aodhan Quinn and Eric Stevenson were named to the All-MAC Second Team.

All 22 members of the all-conference team, as well as specialty award winners, were voted on by MAC men's soccer head coaches.

As the No. 1 seed for the MAC Tournament, Akron will face fourth-seeded Bowling Green in the second semifinal match Friday at 7:30 p.m., at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. Second-seeded Northern Illinois will meet No. 3-seed West Virginia in the first contest starting at 4 p.m.

The winners will advance to the MAC Tournament championship game, which will be held Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

2012 All-Mid-American Conference Honors
First Team
Chad Barson, Akron, D, Sr.
Reinaldo Brenes, Akron, F, Jr.
Scott Caldwell, Akron, MF, Sr.
David Meves, Akron, GK, Sr.
Dillon Serna, Akron, MF, Fr.
Will Trapp, Akron, MF, So.
DeAndre Yedlin, Akron, D, So.
Danny Baraldi, Bowling Green, MF, So.
Anthony Grant, Bowling Green, F, Jr.
Eric Schoenle, West Virginia, D, Sr.
Shane Lyons, Western Michigan, F, Sr.

Second Team
Bryan Gallego, Akron, D, So.
Aodhan Quinn, Akron, MF, Jr.
Eric Stevenson, Akron, F, Jr.
Cleyon Brown, Hartwick, F, Sr.
James Stevenson, Northern Illinois, F, Jr.
Andrew Bevin, West Virginia, MF, So.
Peabo Doue, West Virginia, D, Sr.
Uwem Etuk, West Virginia, MF, Sr.
Travis Pittman, West Virginia, MF, Sr.
Darren Jones, Western Michigan, D, Sr.
Sean Lewis, Western Michigan, GK, Jr.

Player of the Year: Scott Caldwell, Akron
Co-Newcomers of the Year: Dillon Serna, Akron; Anthony Grant, Bowling Green
Coach of the Year: Caleb Porter, Akron