Two Spartans Earn All-SSC Honors

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The University of Tampa men's soccer team had two players earn All-SSC honors, as Jake Richards and Toni Soler were both named second team all-conference. Twenty-two student-athletes are recognized as All-SSC for the 2018 season. SSC champions, Palm Beach Atlantic University, boast seven awards including Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Voting for the team was conducted among the league's men's soccer coaches.

Richards receives the All-SSC second team honor for the third straight season. The junior goal-keeper from Bedworth, England started in every match this year and accumulated a career-high 72 saves. He racked up seven saves in five matches and moved into fourth place in UT history for wins (20) as a goalie. The Spartans battled in eight extra-time competitions and faced off against four ranked opponents througout the year as he completed the year with a 3-7-4 record. 

Soler, a transfer from Adelphi University, manned the mid-field for the Spartans in all 14 games. The senior from Valencia, Spain logged 11 shots on goal and posted a .440 shot on target percentage after ripping 25 shots throughout the year. He registered an assist in a 3-2 road victory over Embry-Riddle. In his junior season at Adelphi, he was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-American First Team. 

Flavio Colasanti of Barry University is named Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year by conference coaches. The Rome native scored 11 goals and added three assists from the forward position in 14 games for the Buccaneers. Colasanti is the fourth Buccaneer to be named Player and Offensive Player of the Year in the same season¹.

SSC Men's Soccer History: ALL-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year | Conference Champions | National Champions

Palm Beach Atlantic's Juan Sanchez repeats as Defensive Player of the Year. The defender from Madrid led a Sailfish defense that tallied 10 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals this season. Sanchez becomes the third SSC athlete to repeat as SSC Defensive Player of the Year, first since 2008-09².

Francisco Greco of Barry takes the Freshman of the Year honors in 2018. The midfielder started in 13 games for the Buccaneers this season and provided his team with six goals and five assists. Greco is the third Barry athlete to become SSC Freshman of the Year, first since 2009³.

PBA's Brian McMahon is the first back-to-back SSC Coach of the Year award winner in 24 years⁴. His peers honored him following a 17-1 overall record, 9-1 conference record, and back-to-back SSC regular season championships. Under McMahon, the Sailfish led the league in both scoring average (3.056) and opponent scoring average (0.610) in 2018.

Lynn University's Niklas Tasky highlights the repeat All-SSC winners as he earns his third consecutive All-SSC First Team honor. PBA's Elliot Barker along with teammate Sanchez repeat as First Team honorees from 2017. Christoph Gums of Florida Southern College and Juan Tejada of Eckerd College both move up to the First Team after Second Team accolades last year. Second Team honorees Jake Richards (University of Tampa), Stefan Avram (Rollins College),  Alex Stoilijkovic (PBA), and Callum Champman-Page (PBA) all repeat All-SSC award winners from 2017.

Player of the Year: Flavio Colasanti, Barry

Offensive Player of the Year: Flavio Colasanti, Barry

Defensive Player of the Year: Juan Sanchez, Palm Beach Atlantic

Freshman of the Year: Francisco Greco, Barry

Coach of the Year: Brian McMahon, Palm Beach Atlantic

^ = 2017 First Team All-SSC

* = 2017 Second Team All-SSC

† = 2017 Defensive Player of the Year

~ = 2016 First Team All-SSC

# = 2016 Second Team All-SSC

(AL) = At Large Selection

¹Mark Anderson (2011), Sascha Koettig (2010), Alen Marcina (2002)

²Ryan Thompson, Tampa (08-09); Daniell Robertson, Rollins (04-05)

³Johnny Rodrigues (2009), Mark Anderson (2008)

⁴Fran Reidy, Saint Leo (93-94)