The University of Akron Athletics
A League-Best Eight Zips Earn All-MAC Accolades
November 09 | Men's Soccer
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2017 ALL-MAC MEN'S SOCCER RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Led by seniors Manuel Cordeiro (Porto, Portugal), Sam Gainford (Liverpool, England) and Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand), along with sophomore Nick Hinds (Plantation, Fla.) and freshman Joao Moutinho (Lisbon, Portugal), 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. 9.
Seniors Pau Belana (Barcelona, Catalonia), Niko De Vera (Camas, Wash.) and Nate Shultz (Mayfield, Ohio) were tabbed second-team honorees.
Gainford and Holthusen were named first-team selections for the second time, while Hinds, a 2016 All-MAC second-team performer, along with Cordeiro and Moutinho garnered All-MAC first-team accolades for the initial times in their Akron careers.
A four-time All-MAC recipient, after earning first-team status in 2015 and second-team recognition in 2014 and 2016, was Holthusen, who has started all 18 games for Akron this season, owning team-high marks in goals (8), points (19), shots (38) and game-winners (3), while rating third in shots on goal (16). He enters tournament playing having scored six of his team-leading eight goals in the last three contests.
Gainford, a team captain, has persevered through injuries this season en route to earning All-MAC recognition for the third time after collecting first- and second-team accolades in 2015 and 2016, respectively. He has appeared in 12 games for Akron, including nine starts and has provided six goals and four assists on the strength of 31 shots, including a team-high 18 shots on goal.
Gaining All-MAC recognition for the second time was Hinds, who has appeared in 17 contests, including starting 10 games for the Zips this season, ranking second on the team in goals (6), while also contributing three assists fueled by 18 shots, including nine on goal.
Pulling in All-MAC honors for the first time was Cordeiro, who has started all 17 games in which he has appeared this season, registering a goal and three assists on 24 shots, including 10 on frame.
An offensive-minded defender, Moutinho, who was also chosen as the MAC Freshman of the Year, has started all 18 matches for the Zips, and has been a key playmaker for Akron totaling three goals and a team-best five assists. He has also contributed 34 shots, including a 17 on frame, totals that rank second on the squad. A starter at the center-back position, Moutinho has helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted 10 shutouts this season.
A two-time all-conference honoree after earning first-team status in 2016, Belana has played in 16 games for Akron on the campaign, including 15 starts, and has posted a pair of assists on eight shots, including netting two shots on goal.
Earning All-MAC recognition for the first time was De Vera and Shultz. De Vera and Shultz have been anchors on a Zips' defensive unit that has posted 10 shutouts this fall.
De Vera has started all 17 games in which he has played this season and owns a pair of assists on four shots, including two on goal.
Appearing in 17 games, all starts, Shultz has registered two goals and one assist on the strength of eight shots, including four on frame.
The fourth-ranked Zips (14-3-1) return to action on Friday, Nov. 10, as Akron travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a MAC Tournament semifinal showdown with SIU Edwardsville. Game time is set for 11 a.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex.
The winners will advance to the MAC Championship game, which will be held Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m.
2017 First-Team All-MAC:
Manuel Cordeiro, Midfielder, Akron
Sam Gainford, Forward, Akron
Nick Hinds, Midfielder, Akron
Stuart Holthusen, Forward, Akron
Joao Moutinho, Defender, Akron
Devyn Jambga, Forward, SIUE
Zach Bock, Defender, Western Michigan
Brandon Bye, Forward, Western Michigan
Tommy Clark, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Jay McIntosh, Forward, Western Michigan
Drew Shepard, Goalkeeper, Western Michigan
Jad Arslan, Midfielder, West Virginia
2017 Second-Team All-MAC:
Pau Belana, Midfielder, Akron
Niko De Vera, Defender, Akron
Nate Shultz, Defender, Akron
Chris Brennan, Forward, Bowling Green
Alexis Souahy, Defender, Bowling Green
Johan DePicker, Defender, SIUE
Jorge Gonzalez, Midfielder, SIUE
Kosti Moni, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Jake Rufe, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Ben Thornton, Defender, Western Michigan
Steven James, Forward, West Virginia
Player of the Year:
Brandon Bye, Forward, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year
Joao Moutinho, Defender, Akron
Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year
Chad Wiseman, Western Michigan
Purchase 2017 Men's Soccer Season Tickets Click Here
2017 ALL-MAC MEN'S SOCCER RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Led by seniors Manuel Cordeiro (Porto, Portugal), Sam Gainford (Liverpool, England) and Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand), along with sophomore Nick Hinds (Plantation, Fla.) and freshman Joao Moutinho (Lisbon, Portugal), 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. 9.
Seniors Pau Belana (Barcelona, Catalonia), Niko De Vera (Camas, Wash.) and Nate Shultz (Mayfield, Ohio) were tabbed second-team honorees.
Gainford and Holthusen were named first-team selections for the second time, while Hinds, a 2016 All-MAC second-team performer, along with Cordeiro and Moutinho garnered All-MAC first-team accolades for the initial times in their Akron careers.
A four-time All-MAC recipient, after earning first-team status in 2015 and second-team recognition in 2014 and 2016, was Holthusen, who has started all 18 games for Akron this season, owning team-high marks in goals (8), points (19), shots (38) and game-winners (3), while rating third in shots on goal (16). He enters tournament playing having scored six of his team-leading eight goals in the last three contests.
Gainford, a team captain, has persevered through injuries this season en route to earning All-MAC recognition for the third time after collecting first- and second-team accolades in 2015 and 2016, respectively. He has appeared in 12 games for Akron, including nine starts and has provided six goals and four assists on the strength of 31 shots, including a team-high 18 shots on goal.
Gaining All-MAC recognition for the second time was Hinds, who has appeared in 17 contests, including starting 10 games for the Zips this season, ranking second on the team in goals (6), while also contributing three assists fueled by 18 shots, including nine on goal.
Pulling in All-MAC honors for the first time was Cordeiro, who has started all 17 games in which he has appeared this season, registering a goal and three assists on 24 shots, including 10 on frame.
An offensive-minded defender, Moutinho, who was also chosen as the MAC Freshman of the Year, has started all 18 matches for the Zips, and has been a key playmaker for Akron totaling three goals and a team-best five assists. He has also contributed 34 shots, including a 17 on frame, totals that rank second on the squad. A starter at the center-back position, Moutinho has helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted 10 shutouts this season.
A two-time all-conference honoree after earning first-team status in 2016, Belana has played in 16 games for Akron on the campaign, including 15 starts, and has posted a pair of assists on eight shots, including netting two shots on goal.
Earning All-MAC recognition for the first time was De Vera and Shultz. De Vera and Shultz have been anchors on a Zips' defensive unit that has posted 10 shutouts this fall.
De Vera has started all 17 games in which he has played this season and owns a pair of assists on four shots, including two on goal.
Appearing in 17 games, all starts, Shultz has registered two goals and one assist on the strength of eight shots, including four on frame.
The fourth-ranked Zips (14-3-1) return to action on Friday, Nov. 10, as Akron travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a MAC Tournament semifinal showdown with SIU Edwardsville. Game time is set for 11 a.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex.
The winners will advance to the MAC Championship game, which will be held Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m.
2017 First-Team All-MAC:
Manuel Cordeiro, Midfielder, Akron
Sam Gainford, Forward, Akron
Nick Hinds, Midfielder, Akron
Stuart Holthusen, Forward, Akron
Joao Moutinho, Defender, Akron
Devyn Jambga, Forward, SIUE
Zach Bock, Defender, Western Michigan
Brandon Bye, Forward, Western Michigan
Tommy Clark, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Jay McIntosh, Forward, Western Michigan
Drew Shepard, Goalkeeper, Western Michigan
Jad Arslan, Midfielder, West Virginia
2017 Second-Team All-MAC:
Pau Belana, Midfielder, Akron
Niko De Vera, Defender, Akron
Nate Shultz, Defender, Akron
Chris Brennan, Forward, Bowling Green
Alexis Souahy, Defender, Bowling Green
Johan DePicker, Defender, SIUE
Jorge Gonzalez, Midfielder, SIUE
Kosti Moni, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Jake Rufe, Midfielder, Western Michigan
Ben Thornton, Defender, Western Michigan
Steven James, Forward, West Virginia
Player of the Year:
Brandon Bye, Forward, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year
Joao Moutinho, Defender, Akron
Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year
Chad Wiseman, Western Michigan
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