MAC Announces 2018 Men's Soccer Postseason Awards
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference announced the 2018 Men's Soccer postseason awards Thursday. The league’s six head coaches selected the All-MAC First and Second Team, Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and the Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year. Due to ties, the 2018 All-MAC First Team is comprised of 12 players instead of 11.
West Virginia senior Joey Piatczyc was named the 2018 Mid-American Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year. Piatczyc ranked 2
nd in the MAC in total points this season, scoring a total of seven goals, including five game winners, and tallying eight assists. The Missouri native lead the Mountaineers to their first ever Mid-American Conference regular season title, after going a perfect 5-0 in league play.
Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc was also recognized for the Mountaineers as he was named the 2018 Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year. The 13
th year head coach lead WVU to an 8-1 mark at home, en route to a 13-5 overall record, and finishing the season undefeated in conference play.
The 2018 Freshman of the Year award was given to Northern Illinois’ midfielder Nick Markanich. The Bourbonnais, Illinois product started in 17 games for the Huskies, and scored eight times, including two goals against Drake in the final 20 minutes. Northern Illinois finished the season with a mark of 8-9-1 and finished 1-4 in the MAC.
The All-MAC first team is highlighted by MAC leading goal scorers David Egbo of Akron, and Lachlan McLean of SIUE. The pair each tallied nine goals this season, and both rank in the top three in terms of points. Joining them on the First Team are teammates Skye Harter (Akron), as well as Jorge Gonzalez (SIUE) and Johan DePicker (SIUE).
A trio of Bowling Green Falcons are featured on the 2018 First Team. Defenders Ebenezer Ackon, and Moe Mustafa are included alongside the Falcons leading point getter Tate Robertson.
Western Michigan senior Ben Thornton is the lone First Team member for the Broncos. Thornton tallied four goals this season from only nine shots, while anchoring a defense that allowed a MAC low 1.06 goals per game.
The 2018 Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer Championship will begin Friday at West Virginia University. No. 2 Bowling Green will face No. 3 Western Michigan in the first semifinals match, beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST. Top-seeded West Virginia will take on No. 4 Akron at 5:30 p.m. EST. The winners of the two semifinal games will meet in the championship match on Sunday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3. For more about the 2018 MAC Men's Soccer Championship,
click here.
2018 MAC Player of the Year
Joey Piatczyc, Midfielder, West Virginia
2018 MAC Freshman of the Year
Nick Markanich, Midfield, Northern Illinois
Gary V. Palmisano Coach of the Year
Marlon LeBlanc, West Virginia
First Team All-MAC
Skye Harter, Midfielder, Akron
David Egbo, Forward, Akron
Moe Mustafa, Defender, Bowling Green
Ebenezer Ackon, Defender, Bowling Green
Tate Robertson, Forward, Bowling Green
Kevin Rodriguez, Midfielder, Northern Illinois
Johan DePicker, Defender, SIUE
Jorge Gonzalez, Forward, SIUE
Lachlan McLean, Forward, SIUE
Ben Thornton, Defender, Western Michigan
Steven Tekesky, Goalkeeper, West Virginia
Joey Piatczyc, Midfielder, West Virginia
Second Team All-MAC
Carlo Ritaccio, Defender, Akron
Marcel Zajac, Forward, Akron
Ben Lundt, Goalkeeper, Akron
Sam Tojaga, Midfielder, Akron
Anthony Markanich, Defender, Northern Illinois
Jan Maertins, Forward, Northern Illinois
Cameron Sipple, Defender, Western Michigan
Albert Andres-Llop, Defender, West Virginia
Ryan Kellogg, Forward, West Virginia
Andres Muriel Albino, Midfielder, West Virginia
Pascal Derwaritsch, Midfielder, West Virginia
