Last weekend, the college soccer conference tournaments came to a conclusion. Overall, four teams with New York Red Bulls Academy products emerged as conference champions: Akron (Adam Najem), Georgetown (Brandon Allen, Arun Basuljevic, Alex Muyl, Christopher Lema, Ethan Lochner, Kyle Zajec), Maryland (Mael Corboz), and Tulsa (Juan Sebastian Sanchez).
On Nov. 16, the NCAA announced the Division I Men’s Soccer Championship field which includes 11 teams with Red Bulls Academy products: Akron, Boston University (Anthony Viteri), Charlotte (Harrison Steadman), Georgetown, Maryland, Rutgers (Erik Sa, Brandon Tetro, Ross Tetro, Dante Perez), Tulsa, UCONN (Jacob Wagmeister), UCSB (Dugan Zier), Virginia (Derrick Etienne, Nate Odosute, Wesley Wade, Scott Thomsen, Malcolm Dixon) and Wake Forest (Kevin Politz, Steven Echevarria).
The following is a list of New York Red Bulls Academy products with notable performances in the past few weeks of the college soccer season:
No. 10 Akron: Adam Najem* (MID) – In the final match of the regular season, Najem had two assists in a win against Bowling Green, 4-0. Following the victory against Bowling Green, the Zips hosted the Mid-American Conference Championship Semifinals against West Virginia. The midfielder scored the opening goal on a free kick and assisted the next goal to help his side advance to the Conference Championship. Akron defeated Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship, 1-0, and received the No. 4 seed and a First Round bye in the NCAA Championship. The Zips await the winner of Rutgers and LIU Brooklyn, who they will face on Nov. 22. Najem finishes the season with nine goals and eight assists on the season.
Binghamton: Conrad Nowowiejski (MID) – Binghamton nearly qualified for the NCAA Tournament via the America East Tournament. After defeating Stony Brook in the Quarterfinals, 3-2, and University of Albany in the Semifinals, 1-0, the Bearcats were one win away from clinching the conference title and extending their postseason. Nowowiejski played in all three conference games and started in the American East Semifinals and Championship against University of Vermont. The Bearcats fell to Vermont in the Championship match, 1-0. The freshman finishes his first season with Binghamton after playing in 19 games, starting 14, and recording one goal.
Boston University (RV): Anthony Viteri (MID) – Despite an early exit from the Patriot League Tournament, losing 2-0 to American in the Semifinals, Viteri and Boston University are headed to the NCAA Championship. They will face UCONN in the First Round on Nov. 19. With a win, they will face No. 16 Indiana in the Second Round on Nov. 22. Viteri concluded the regular season with six goals and two assists.
Bucknell: Chris Thorsheim* (MID) – Thorsheim finished the regular season on a high, recording two assists en route to a clean sheet against Army, 4-0. Bucknell came up short in the Patriot League Quarterfinals, falling to Lehigh, 2-0. The MAC Hermann Watch List player finished the regular season with eight goals and six assists, starting all 18 games for the Bisons
No. 24 Charlotte: Harrison Steadman (FWD) – In the last game before the Conference USA Tournament, Steadman recorded the game-winning assist in a shutout victory for Charlotte, 3-0, against UAB. Steadman scored his third goal of the season for the 49ers in the Conference Quarterfinals, but saw his side knocked out by Marshall in a shootout, 5-3, after the teams remained tied at the end of double overtime, 1-1. The 49ers received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and prepare to take on Radford in the First Round on Nov. 19. The winner will advance to the Second Round and face No. 1 Wake Forest.
No. 3 Georgetown: Brandon Allen* (FWD), Arun Basuljevic (MID/FWD), Alex Muyl (FWD), Christopher Lema (MID) – Georgetown clinched the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship on the last day of the regular season with a win against No. 3 Creighton, 2-1. Allen assisted the opening goal, his seventh on the year. In the BIG EAST Conference Semifinals, the Hoyas advanced to the Championship on a lone goal from Allen versus Xavier, 1-0. In the BIG EAST Championship, the Hoyas faced Creighton who took an early 1-0 lead until Allen quickly eliminated the deficit with his 11th goal of the season. Muyl completed the comeback for Georgetown, burying the game-winning goal in the 107th minute in double overtime to clinch the BIG EAST title, 2-1. Georgetown was awarded the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Championship and a First Round bye. They await either Hofstra or Lehigh in the Second Round on Nov. 22.
Iona: Oscar Gonzalez (MID) – Junior co-captain Gonzalez delivered the game-winning goal against Fairfield in the MAAC Quarterfinals. Iona fell in the next round to top-seed Monmouth in the MAAC Semifinals, 2-1. The midfielder finishes the season with two goals and four assists in 18 starts this season.
Maryland (RV): Mael Corboz (MID) – Corboz closed the regular season with his ninth assist on the year in a win against Rutgers, 3-1. After an opening win against Michigan in the BIG Ten Quarterfinals, Corboz was the first to step up in a shootout against Indiana in the Semifinals after the teams played out a 1-1 draw through double overtime. He converted the penalty kick and Maryland advanced to the Championship, winning 3-2 on penalties. In the BIG Ten Championship, Maryland defeated Ohio State to win its fourth-straight conference title. The Terps were awarded the No. 10 seed and a First Round bye in the NCAA Championship. They will face the winner of Virginia and Rider on Nov. 22.
No. 18 Rutgers: Erik Sa (MID), Brandon Tetro (DEF/MID) – The Scarlet Knights began the BIG Ten Tournament in the Quarterfinals against Northwestern and earned an opening victory, 2-0. Tetro helped put the game out of reach in the 85th minute, providing an assist on the second goal. Rutgers were eliminated for the tournament in the Semifinals by top-seed Ohio State, 4-0. They will face LIU Brooklyn in the First Round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 19. With a First Round victory, they will take on Adam Najem and No. 4 Akron in the Second Round.
Tulsa: Juan Sebastian Sanchez (FWD) – The former New York Red Bulls II forward played in his first American Athletic Conference Tournament game against UCF in the Quarterfinals and recorded an assist in a game that ended 2-2 after double overtime. Tulsa won in penalty kicks, 4-2, and advanced to the Semifinals. In the next round, Tulsa played out another 2-2 draw against SMU and won again in a shootout, 4-3. In the American Championship, the Hurricanes faced UCONN and advanced to their third consecutive shootout following a 1-1 tie. Tulsa claimed their third-straight win in penalty kicks, 4-3, to win the American Athletic Conference Championship and will take on FIU in the First Round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 19. If they advance, they will face No. 7 seed Notre Dame in the Second Round.
UCONN: Jacob Wagmeister (GK) - UCONN earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament and will face Boston University in the First Round on Nov. 19. The redshirt senior has not played a game for UCONN this season.
UCSB (RV): Dugan Zier (DEF) - UCSB earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 15 seed with a First Round bye. They will face the winner of South Carolina and Furman on Nov. 22 in the Second Round. The freshman has played two games for the Gauchos this season.
Villanova: Sean Sheridan (DEF/MID) – The senior ended his 2015 season on a high note against Seton Hall, scoring two goals in a comeback victory, 3-2. After allowing two early goals, Sheridan sparked the comeback for the Wildcats with a goal in 77th minute. After his teammate leveled the match moments later, Sheridan scored the game-winning goal in the 95th minute. Sheridan finishes the season with eight goals and three assists.
No. 19 Virginia: Derrick Etienne (MID), Nate Odosute (DEF), Wesley Wade (FWD), Scott Thomsen (DEF) – The Cavaliers were ousted from the ACC Tournament in the Quarterfinals by No. 8 Notre Dame, 1-0, on a 87th minute goal. Virginia will face Rider in the First Round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 19 and will take on Mael Corboz and Maryland in the Second Round on Nov. 22 with a victory. Etienne finished the regular season with two goals and one assist in 15 games played. Wade, who played in five matches, also finished the regular season with two goals. Dixon played seven games this year, while Odosute and Thomsen both played in three.
No. 1 Wake Forest: Steven Echevarria (MID), Kevin Politz (DEF) – Wake Forest began the ACC Tournament with a win against Louisville in the Quarterfinals, 2-1, a game in which Echevarria played 22 minutes in the game as a substitute. In the ACC Semifinals, the Demon Deacons were eliminated by No. 8 Notre Dame, 1-0. Echevarria played 26 minutes in the game as a substitute. Politz, who played in 14 matches this season and was an established starter on defense, has not played for Wake Forest since being substituted off in the 22nd minute on Oct. 20. Wake Forest were awarded the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship and a First Round bye. They will face the winner of Harrison Steadman’s Charlotte and Radford in the Second Round on Nov. 22.
* – MAC Hermann Watch List player
– Qualified for NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship
(RV) – Receiving Votes towards NSCAA Coaches Rankings
