The University of Akron Athletics
Seven Zips and Akron Staff Garner All BIG EAST Men's Soccer Accolades
November 12 | Men's Soccer
2024 BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER POSTSEASON AWARDS RELEASE
NEW YORK - Seven University of Akron men's soccer standouts garnered All-BIG EAST accolades when the league unveiled in 2024 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on Tuesday (Nov. 12).
Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) headlined the Zips' award winners as he named an unanimous selection as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was also a unanimous First-Team honoree.
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Redshirt senior Beto Ydrach (Orlando, Fla.) was tabbed as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year and pulled in First-Team All-League honors.
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Redshirt junior Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) garnered BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year accolades and was a First-Team All-Conference selection.
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Akron head coach Jared Embick and his staff of Ger Coppinger, Michael Nanchoff and Attila Schmidt were recognized as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
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Redshirt senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) rounded out the First-Team All-BIG EAST selections for the Zips.
Pulling in Second-Team All-BIG EAST laurels were seniors Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), while senior Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) earned Third-Team honors.
Jaaskelainen becomes the 14th Zip to garner league Player of the Year accolades and first since Jason Shokalook in 2023. Ydrach and Budler are the first Zips to collect Defensive and Goalkeeper of the Year honors in BIG EAST program history.
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In eight BIG EAST games for Akron, Jaaskelainen recorded 12 of his NCAA-leading 22 goals on the strength of team-high marks in goals (12), points (28), shots (34), shots on goal (18) and game-winners (4), while ranking second in assists (4). He delivered a hat trick against Villanova (Oct. 12), while posting league braces versus Marquette (Oct. 26), Creighton (Oct. 23), DePaul (Oct. 19) and Butler (Sept. 20). Overall, he has recorded nine multi-goal affairs on the season.
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Jaaskelainen ranks first in the BIG EAST in goals (1.22), points (2.83), shots (4.61), shots on goal (2.28) per game as well as leading the league in total goals (22), shots (83), shots on goal (41), points (51) and game-winning goals (6) and rating sixth in assists (7). In league-only affairs, Jaaskelainen led the BIG EAST in goals (1.50), points (3.50), shots (4.25), shots on goal (2.25) and game-winners (0.50) per contest, while rating third in total assists (4) and fifth in assists per tilt (0.50).
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Individually, Jaaskelainen leads the NCAA in total goals (22), total points (51), game-winning goals (6), goals per game (1.22) and points per tilt (2.83), while ranking third in shots per match (4.61) and shots on goal per outing (2.28) and 41st in total assists (7).
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Ydrach headlined the defensive efforts of the Zips, who posted eight shutouts on the campaign, including recording six clean sheets in eight league contests. Offensively, he added three assists on the strength of 11 shots, including three on goal.
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Budler has posted 45 saves on the campaign en route to recording a 0.94 goals against average on the strength of eight shutouts. In league play, Budler collected 23 saves and a 0.63 goals against average and notched six clean sheets in eight games.
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A three-time all-conference performer, Clapier has started all 18 games for Akron this season, owning a team-high mark in assists (8), while tallying four goals and 16 points on the strength of 40 shots, including 17 on goal.
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Henry, who garnered All-BIG EAST accolades for the second consecutive season, has started all 18 games for Akron on the campaign en route to posting two goals and a team-best eight assists on 14 shots, with eight strikes coming on net.
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A two-time all-league selection, Wan Kamal has started all 18 matches for the Zips this fall recording four goals and five assists on 16 shots, including eight on goal.
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Buechte, who earned All-BIG EAST honors for the second straight campaign, helped spearhead Akron's defensive efforts this season that resulted in a league-best six shutouts in league play and a 0.63 goals against average. He has started all 18 games for the Zips this season owning a goal and an assist on the strength of five shots, including one on goal.
The 13th-rated and top-seeded Zips return to action on Thursday (Nov. 14) battling fourth-seeded Georgetown in the BIG EAST Championship Semifinals at 7:30 p.m. from the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
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NEW YORK - Seven University of Akron men's soccer standouts garnered All-BIG EAST accolades when the league unveiled in 2024 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on Tuesday (Nov. 12).
Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) headlined the Zips' award winners as he named an unanimous selection as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was also a unanimous First-Team honoree.
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Redshirt senior Beto Ydrach (Orlando, Fla.) was tabbed as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year and pulled in First-Team All-League honors.
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Redshirt junior Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) garnered BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year accolades and was a First-Team All-Conference selection.
Â
Akron head coach Jared Embick and his staff of Ger Coppinger, Michael Nanchoff and Attila Schmidt were recognized as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
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Redshirt senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) rounded out the First-Team All-BIG EAST selections for the Zips.
Pulling in Second-Team All-BIG EAST laurels were seniors Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), while senior Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) earned Third-Team honors.
Jaaskelainen becomes the 14th Zip to garner league Player of the Year accolades and first since Jason Shokalook in 2023. Ydrach and Budler are the first Zips to collect Defensive and Goalkeeper of the Year honors in BIG EAST program history.
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In eight BIG EAST games for Akron, Jaaskelainen recorded 12 of his NCAA-leading 22 goals on the strength of team-high marks in goals (12), points (28), shots (34), shots on goal (18) and game-winners (4), while ranking second in assists (4). He delivered a hat trick against Villanova (Oct. 12), while posting league braces versus Marquette (Oct. 26), Creighton (Oct. 23), DePaul (Oct. 19) and Butler (Sept. 20). Overall, he has recorded nine multi-goal affairs on the season.
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Jaaskelainen ranks first in the BIG EAST in goals (1.22), points (2.83), shots (4.61), shots on goal (2.28) per game as well as leading the league in total goals (22), shots (83), shots on goal (41), points (51) and game-winning goals (6) and rating sixth in assists (7). In league-only affairs, Jaaskelainen led the BIG EAST in goals (1.50), points (3.50), shots (4.25), shots on goal (2.25) and game-winners (0.50) per contest, while rating third in total assists (4) and fifth in assists per tilt (0.50).
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Individually, Jaaskelainen leads the NCAA in total goals (22), total points (51), game-winning goals (6), goals per game (1.22) and points per tilt (2.83), while ranking third in shots per match (4.61) and shots on goal per outing (2.28) and 41st in total assists (7).
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Ydrach headlined the defensive efforts of the Zips, who posted eight shutouts on the campaign, including recording six clean sheets in eight league contests. Offensively, he added three assists on the strength of 11 shots, including three on goal.
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Budler has posted 45 saves on the campaign en route to recording a 0.94 goals against average on the strength of eight shutouts. In league play, Budler collected 23 saves and a 0.63 goals against average and notched six clean sheets in eight games.
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A three-time all-conference performer, Clapier has started all 18 games for Akron this season, owning a team-high mark in assists (8), while tallying four goals and 16 points on the strength of 40 shots, including 17 on goal.
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Henry, who garnered All-BIG EAST accolades for the second consecutive season, has started all 18 games for Akron on the campaign en route to posting two goals and a team-best eight assists on 14 shots, with eight strikes coming on net.
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A two-time all-league selection, Wan Kamal has started all 18 matches for the Zips this fall recording four goals and five assists on 16 shots, including eight on goal.
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Buechte, who earned All-BIG EAST honors for the second straight campaign, helped spearhead Akron's defensive efforts this season that resulted in a league-best six shutouts in league play and a 0.63 goals against average. He has started all 18 games for the Zips this season owning a goal and an assist on the strength of five shots, including one on goal.
The 13th-rated and top-seeded Zips return to action on Thursday (Nov. 14) battling fourth-seeded Georgetown in the BIG EAST Championship Semifinals at 7:30 p.m. from the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
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Players Mentioned
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