League-Best Eight Zips Garner All-MAC Men's Soccer Honors

November 10 | Men's Soccer

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Led by redshirt junior Pau Belana (Barcelona, Catalonia) and seniors Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) and Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio), who were selected as first-team All-Mid-American Conference men's soccer selections, a league-best eight Akron student-athletes garnered All-MAC accolades as announced by the league on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Najem, who was also selected as the MAC Player of the Year, joined an exclusive club as only the third Akron player to earn first-team All-MAC honors in each of his four campaigns as a Zip. He joins Anthony Ampaipitakwong (2007-10) and Matt Tutich (2005-08) as the only other Akron standouts to be so recognized.

Additionally, he is seventh Zip to tabbed as a four-time All-MAC (first- or second-team honoree) recipient joining Ampaipitakwong, Tutich, Orjan Bjanese (1998-2001), Kyle Milligan (1998-2001), Cameron Knowles (2001-04) and Ossie Michalsen (2005-08).

Arguably the most well-rounded player in the conference, Najem, a first-team All-MAC honoree in each of his four seasons as a Zip, has started all 18 games for Akron this season, owning team-high marks in points (15) and shots (43), while ranking second in goals (5), assists (5) and shots on goal (15) and third in game-winners (1).

Ruhaak was named a first-team honoree for the second consecutive campaign, while Belana garnered All-MAC accolades for the first time.

Ruhaak, a team captain, has helped anchor an Akron defensive unit that has posted nine shutouts on the season. He has started all 18 matches for the Zips and has provided an offensive punch registering career-high marks in goals (4), assists (3), points (11), shots (20) and shots on goal (9).

Belana has played in all 18 games for Akron on the campaign, including 14 starts, and has posted a pair of assists on 12 shots, including netting five shots on goal.

Redshirt junior Sam Gainford (Liverpool, England), freshman Nick Hinds (Plantation, Fla.), junior Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand), freshman Jonathan Lewis (Plantation, Fla.) and sophomore Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) were tabbed second-team honorees.

Gaining All-MAC recognition for the second time was Gainford, who has appeared in 15 contests, including starting 13 games for the Zips this season, ranking second on the team in shots (40) and shots on goal (15), while rating fourth in goals (3) and sixth in points (8).

Playing primarily defense before seeing extended playing time in the midfield, Hinds has appeared in 17 matches for Akron as a freshman, including making 15 starts. He owns a goal and three assists on 18 shots, including five on net. He has helped the Zips' defensive efforts to record nine shutouts on the year.

A three-time all-conference honoree after earning first-team status in 2015 and second-team recognition in 2014, Holthusen has overcome injuries that sidelined him for the first half of the 2016 campaign to appear in eight games, including five starts. He has recorded a trio of multi-goal outings en route to leading the Zips in goals (6) and game-winners (2), while ranking second in points (13), fourth in shots on goal (11) and fifth in shots (24).

Lewis, who was also named as the MAC's Freshman of the Year, has played in all 18 matches for Akron this fall, including 16 starts, and has been a key offensive playmaker for the Zips owning a team-high nine assists, while netting a pair of goals. He has also contributed 36 shots, including a team-best 17 on frame. Lewis leads the nation among NCAA Division I freshmen having recorded a team-leading nine assists on the campaign.

Stepping into the starting goalkeeper's slot this season, Lundt has responded for the Zips recording 52 saves and posting a 1.22 goals against average en route to posting nine shutouts.

Akron (10-5-3) returns to action on Friday, Nov. 11, as the top-seeded Zips face fourth-seeded Western Michigan (9-5-4) in the semifinals of the MAC Championship at FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. and will follow the conclusion of the other semifinal at 4 p.m. pitting second-seeded Bowling Green (9-5-4) versus third-seeded Buffalo (11-3-3).

The winners will advance to the MAC Championship game, which will be held Sunday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m.

2016 First-Team All-MAC:
Pau Belana, Midfielder, Akron
Adam Najem, Midfielder, Akron
Brad Ruhaak, Defender, Akron
Pat Flynn, Forward, Bowling Green
Anthony Mwembia, Goalkeeper, Bowling Green
Russell Cicerone, Forward, Buffalo
David Enstrom, Defender, Buffalo
Jad Arslan, Midfielder, West Virginia
Joey Piatczyc, Midfielder, West Virginia
Zach Bock, Defender, Western Michigan
Brandon Bye, Forward, Western Michigan

2016 Second-Team All-MAC:
Sam Gainford, Forward, Akron
Nick Hinds, Defender, Akron
Stuart Holthusen, Forward, Akron
Jonathan Lewis, Forward, Akron
Ben Lundt, Goalkeeper, Akron
Tate Robertson, Midfielder, Bowling Green
Jacob Roth, Defender, Bowling Green
Joe Sullivan, Midfielder, Bowling Green
Nick Forrester, Defender, Buffalo
Jack Elliot, Defender, West Virginia
Felix Angerer, Forward, West Virginia
Edu Jimenez, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Diego Lopez, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Drew Shepherd, Goalkeeper, Western Michigan