The South Atlantic Conference Announces 2021 Men's Soccer Award Winners
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Carson-Newman midfielder Thaylan Silva was voted as the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, while Carson-Newman goalkeeper Bram Kaarsgaren was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Year. Mars Hill forward Kevonte Willoughby-Williams was named Freshman of the Year and Carson-Newman head coach Stephen Lyons was voted as the Coach of the Year, the conference announced today.
Silva, a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, led the Eagles to the 2021 SAC Regular Season Title and was a two-time SAC AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week, as well as a United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II National Player of the Week this season. He scored 11 goals and had four assists for 26 points, including scoring a league-best four game-winning goals.
Kaarsgaren, a senior from Den Bosch, Netherlands, posted the second lowest goals against average (1.06) in the league this season and allowed just 15 goals in 14 matches. He made 54 saves during the regular season and had a league best .783 save percentage. Kaarsgaren had four shutouts during the year and was named SAC AstroTurf Defensive Player of the Week once.
Willoughby-Williams, a freshman from London, England, led all freshmen in the league with eight goals, six assists, and 22 points, while also leading the league in assists. He finished the regular season ranked sixth in the conference in goals and points, while scoring two game-winning goals.
Lyons led the Eagles to an 11-3-1 overall record, going 9-2 in the SAC, earning the program's tenth SAC Regular Season Championship. His Eagles were sixth in the league in scoring with 33 goals and were third in assists with 31, and they allowed just 17 goals on the defensive side of the ball.
Joining Silva and Kaarsgaren on the All-SAC First Team were forwards Sebastian Bertilsson of Mars Hill, Felipe Mendonca of Queens, Alexandre Cox-Ashwood of Anderson, and Jacques Fokam-Sandeu of Coker.
The first team midfielders were Victor Cascon and Carles Montoliu Lobo of Lenoir-Rhyne and Agustin Ortiz of Anderson.
On defense, Sjur Drechsler and Alexander Render of Limestone, Jeppe Christensen of Mars Hill, and Gabe Martin of Carson-Newman were named to the first team.
2021 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer All-Conference
First Team
F – Sebastian Bertilsson, Mars Hill
F – Felipe Mendonca, Queens
F – Jacques Fokam-Sandeu, Coker
F – Alexandre Cox-Ashwood, Anderson
MF – Victor Cascon, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Thaylan Silva, Carson-Newman
MF – Agustin Ortiz, Anderson
MF – Carles Montoliu Lobo, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Sjur Drechsler, Limestone
D – Alexander Render, Limestone
D – Jeppe Christensen, Mars Hill
D – Gabe Martin, Carson-Newman
GK – Bram Kaarsgaren, Carson-Newman
Second Team
F – Harry Whitehead, Carson-Newman
F – Tristyn De laaf, Limestone
F – Peter Plougmand, Mars Hill
F – Kevonte Willoughby-Williams, Mars Hill
MF – Hugo Jönsson, Coker
MF – Greg Evans, Carson-Newman
MF – Antonio Ferreira, Limestone
MF – Yannick Kranz, Carson-Newman
D – Dani Fernandez, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Eric Schmutzer, Carson-Newman
D – Bastiaan Jager, Coker
D – Manoel Dos Passos, Queens
GK – Johann Hipper, Limestone
Third Team
F – Angelo Fabricio, Limestone
F – Tom Savigar, Catawba
F – Nic Carsh, Carson-Newman
F – Harry Ward, Anderson
MF – Pedro Santos, Wingate
MF – Martin Carpena, Anderson
MF – Pascal Werba, Limestone
MF – Boris Basara, Queens
D – Harri Rowe, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Gustavo Palmieri, Coker
D – Diego Delgado, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Owen Marshall, Wingate
GK – Nicolai Andersen, Queens
Offensive Player of the Year
Thaylan Silva, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Year
Bram Kaarsgaren, Carson-Newman
Freshman of the Year
Kevonte Willoughby-Williams, Mars Hill
Coach of the Year
Stephen Lyons, Carson-Newman
Fair Play Award
Limestone
Statistical Champions
Goals per Match: Felipe Mendonca, Queens | 0.88
Points per Match: Felipe Mendonca, Queens | 1.94
Assists per Match: Joseph Allerton, Catawba | 0.47
Goals Against Average: Johann Hipper, Limestone | .861
Save Percentage: Bram Kaarsgaren, Carson-Newman | .782
Shutouts: Johann Hipper, Limestone | 7
Team Points per Match: Limestone | 7.13
Team Goals per Match: Limestone | 2.33
Team Assists per Match: Limestone | 2.47
Team Shutouts: Limestone | 7
Team Goals Against Average: Limestone | .913
Team Winning Percentage: Anderson | .765
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