OUA announces 2016 Men's Soccer Major Awards and All-Stars
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is excited to announce the 2016 OUA men's soccer major awards and all-stars.
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is excited to announce the 2016 OUA men's soccer major awards and all-stars.
Midfielder Jonathan Lao (Unionville, Ont.) has been named OUA West Division MVP and a first-team all-star after he scored four goals and added three assists in 12 games this season for the York Lions. After being named MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2012, the Unionville, Ont. native has now been named an OUA all-star for the fourth time in four seasons and is the seventh Lions player to be named MVP in the past nine years.
Lions forward Cristian Cavallini (Woodbridge, Ont.) has been recognized following a fantastic freshman season and has been named OUA West Division Rookie of the Year. Cavallini, who attended Holy Cross C.A. prior to joining York, led the team in goals (11) and assists (4) in his first season in the league. Cavallini, who was also named an OUA first-team all-star, is the third Lion to win the Rookie of the Year award since 2012.
Joining Lao and Cavallini as OUA first-team all-stars are Lions defender Daniel Gogarty (Scarborough, Ont.) and midfielder Dena Iezady (Richmond Hill, Ont.). Gogarty, a third-year business economics major, is an all-star for the first time in his career after he anchored a Lions defence that only gave up 11 goals against during the regular season. In his fifth and final season, Iezady, who previously played for the Guelph Gryphons, is an all-star for the third time in his career after he finished tied for second on the Lions with seven goals.
Defender Matt Arnone (Woodbridge, Ont.) and midfielder Ryan Telfer (Mississauga, Ont.) will represent the Lions as OUA second-team all-stars.
For the fourth time in the past five seasons, York Lions head coach Carmine Isacco has been named OUA West Division Coach of the Year after he led the team to a 14-0-2 regular season record, the best mark in the conference.
Despite a tough regular season, the Western Mustangs roster features four OUA all-stars, including defender Chuka Ononye (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and midfielder Parker Seymour (Toronto, Ont.) as first-team selections.
After a five year career with Western, Ononye is an OUA all-star for the first time in his career after the Mustangs only allowed 16 goals against this season, the third lowest mark in the division.
Seymour is an OUA all-star for the third time in his career after the Toronto, Ont. native finished tied for the team lead in goals (4). This is the third consecutive OUA all-star nod for Seymour after he was selected to the first-team in 2014 and the second-team a season ago.
Defender Aaron Schneebeli (Kitchener, Ont.) is an OUA second-team all-star for the second straight season, while Western midfielder Jeremy Arnold (Kingston, Ont.) receives the honour for the first time.
After a 12-2-2 regular season, four players will represent the Guelph Gryphons as either OUA first or second-team all-stars.
Defender Justin Springer (Burlington, Ont.) is the lone Gryphon to be selected as a first-team all-star after he anchored a staunch Guelph defensive unit that only allowed 12 goals against in 16 games during the regular season.
A trio of Gryphons, midfielder Ethan Danielli (Guelph, Ont.) and forwards Tomasz Skublak (Hamilton, Ont.) and Jace Kotsopoulos (Burlington, Ont.) have been named OUA second-team all-stars.
For the second straight year, a McMaster Marauders player have been recognized for their accomplishments away from the pitch as Kristian Ferreria (Dundas, Ont.) is this year's recipient of the OUA West Division Community Service Award. Ferreria gives generously of his time as he mentors twenty at-risk inner city high school students. The Dundas, Ont. native is also actively involved with the Hamilton Youth Steel Orchestra where he works to engage local youth through music. When he isn't playing for the Marauders, Ferreria gives back to the local soccer community as a coach with the West Hamilton Soccer Club.
Following a third place finish with a 9-4-3 regular season record, a trio of Marauders have been named OUA all-stars. Midfielder Yunus Mollayev (Toronto, Ont.) is the lone McMaster representative on the first team after leading the Marauders in goals (8) and points (11). Now in his third season with the club, the engineering major is an OUA all-star for the first time in his career.
Defender Aleksandar Vincic (Stoney Creek, Ont.) is an OUA all-star for the second time in his career after he previously earned the honour following the 2014 season. For the second time in as many years, midfielder Marco Gennaccaro (Hamilton, Ont.) has also been named a second-team all-star.
It was a tremendous 2016 season for Laurier Golden Hawks forward Niklas Bauer (Newmarket, Ont.) who has been named an OUA first-team all-star for the first time in his career. The Newmarket, Ont. native led OUA with 19 points, while finishing second in the conference with 15 goals in 14 games.
Joining Bauer as an OUA first-team is Golden Hawks defender Tahrik Rodriques (Scarborough, Ont.). Rodriques, a third-year biology student-athlete, started all 16 games this season for Laurier and was a force on the back line for a Golden Hawks team that averaged 1.43 goals against per game.
Goalkeeper Kyle Vizirakis (Windsor, Ont.) backstopped Windsor to sixth place finish and has been selected to represent the Lancers on the OUA first-team. In 13 games this season in net for his hometown team, Vizirakis had a 1.60 goals against average and three shutouts.
Lancers defender Marco Bernabo (Windsor, Ont.) has also been named an OUA all-star after a strong 2016 season earned him second-team honours.
Rounding out the OUA West division second-team all-star selections is Algoma Thunderbirds goalkeeper Andrew Johnstone (Barrie, Ont.).
For the second straight season, Ryerson Rams midfielder Raheem Rose (Toronto, Ont.) has once again been selected as OUA East Division Most Valuable Player and a first-team all-star.
After being named OUA Rookie of the Year in 2014, Rose has now earned major awards in each of his three seasons in the league after being named OUA MVP last year as well. Rose, an arts & contemporary studies student-athlete, finished third on the Rams with eight goals, including five game-winning goals.
After a dominant first season in the league, Rams defender Robert Boskovic (Mississauga, Ont.) has been named OUA East Division Rookie of the Year and a first-team all-star. Boskovic, who played for Toronto FC II before joining Ryerson, appeared in 13 games during his rookie campaign, solidifying a Rams defensive unit that allowed a league-low eight goals against during the regular season.
Joining Rose and Boskovic as OUA first-team all-stars are goalkeeper Praveen Ahilan (Unionville, Ont.), midfielder Luka Lee (Toronto, Ont.) and forward Jamie Baker (Aurora, Ont.).
In 11 games for the Rams, Ahilan went 10-1 and led the conference in both goals against average (0.45) and save percentage (.875). The Unionville, Ont. native finished second in OUA with seven clean sheets.
Lee is an OUA all-star for the first time in his fifth season with the Rams after he suited up in 13 games and finished tied for 5th in the conference with five assists. Lee, who played for the Toronto Lynx before joining Ryerson five years ago, finished fifth on the Rams with four goals.
Despite starting just six games this season for the Rams, Baker was a sparkplug coming off the bench for Ryerson as he led the team with 11 goals in 12 games. The fourth-year business management major finished third in goals and game-winning goals, while his 40 shots ranked him 5th in the conference.
Rams defender Kyle Stewart (Kingston, Jamaica) will represent Ryerson on the OUA second-team.
For the second straight season, Filip Prostran has been named OUA East Division Coach of the Year after leading the Rams to top spot in the division with a 14-1-1 regular season record.
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues roster features the most OUA first and second-team all-star selections after a 12-2-2 record and a second-place finish in the OUA East Division. Four Varsity Blues have been named to the first-team, including: defenders Devon Bowyer (Toronto, Ont.) and Nikola Stakic (Scarborough, Ont.) along with midfielders Lukas MacNaughton (Brussels, Belgium) and Nikolay Saveliev (Nagoya, Japan).
Stakic has been named an OUA first-team all-star in just his first season in the league, while Bowyer gets the nod for a third straight season after the pair anchored a Blues defence that only allowed nine goals against in 16 games, one off of the rival Rams for the top mark in the conference.
In his fourth season with the Varsity Blues, MacNaughton is an OUA first-team all-star for a third consecutive year after he led Toronto with seven goals in 16 games. MacNaughton, who comes to the Blues via Brussels, Belgium, also led the team with eight points and was tied for first with three game winning goals.
Goalkeeper Mark Rogal (Vaughan, Ont.) and midfielder Harry Michelis (Toronto, Ont.) will add a little blue to the OUA second-team as both players are all-stars for the first time in their careers with Toronto.
The Ravens soared to a third place finish in the OUA East Division and a conspiracy of four Ravens have been selected as OUA all-stars for a second consecutive year.
Carleton defender Julian Piccioli (Ottawa, Ont.) is the lone Ravens player named to the first-team after the Ottawa, Ont. native secured a backline for Carleton that allowed under a goal against per game. This is Piccioli's third time being named a first-team all star in his career following his 2013 and 2014 awards.
Forward Daud Dahir (Ottawa, Ont.) led the Ravens in scoring with 8 goals this season, which earns him second-team all-star recognition in 2016. Dahir is an OUA all-star for the second time in his career after receiving first-team accolades in 2014.
First-year defender Weber Bourjolly (Ottawa, Ont.) and forward Mekonen Lovemore (Ottawa, Ont.) are all OUA all-stars for the first times in their careers after strong 2016 seasons garnered the trio second-team recognition.
UOIT forward Fabio Campoli (Frosinone, Italy) is an OUA first-team all-star after he paced the Ridgebacks offence with 10 goals in 15 games. In just his second season with the team, the Frosinone, Italy native scored almost 50 percent of the Ridgebacks goals and finished fifth in OUA. Campoli becomes the first Ridgebacks player in program history to be named an OUA first-team all-star.
Ridgebacks midfielder Erik Petrovic (Sombor, Serbia) is an OUA second-team all-star selection for a second straight season.
The Ridgebacks roster also features a major award winner as Mike Bowerman (Oshawa, Ont.) has been named the OUA East Division Community Service Award winner. Bowerman is an active member within the local community, volunteering with several local teams, including the Oshawa Turul Soccer Club. This past August, Bowerman organized a group of Ridgebacks players to hold a one-day soccer camp for local children who are cancer survivors.
Following a 4-8-4 regular season record, the Trent Excalibur qualified for the postseason thanks to the strong play of Carl De Abreu (Scarborough, Ont.) and Aaron Chia (Courtice, Ont.) who have been named OUA second-team all-stars.
Northern rivals Laurentian and Nipissing lay claim to the final all-star selections as Voyageurs forward Matthew Wilkes (Whitby, Ont.) and Lakers defender Alexander Zero (Mississauga, Ont.) have been named to the East Division second-team.
EAST DIVISION MAJOR AWARDS
Most Valuable Player – Raheem Rose – Ryerson Rams
Rookie of the Year – Robert Boskovic – Ryerson Rams
Coach of the Year – Filip Prostran – Ryerson Rams
Community Service Award – Mike Bowerman – UOIT Ridgebacks
WEST DIVISION MAJOR AWARDS
Most Valuable Player – Jonathan Lao – York Lions
Rookie of the Year – Cristian Cavallini – York Lions
Coach of the Year – Carmine Isacco – York Lions
Community Service Award – Krisian Ferreira – McMaster Marauders
EAST DIVISION FIRST-TEAM ALL-STARS
Praveen Ahilan – Ryerson Rams – Goalkeeper
Robert Boskovic – Ryerson Rams – Defender
Julian Piccioli – Carleton Ravens – Defender
Devon Bowyer – Toronto Varsity Blues – Defender
Nikola Stakic – Toronto Varsity Blues – Defender
Raheem Rose – Ryerson Rams – Midfielder
Lukas MacNaughton – Toronto Varsity Blues – Midfielder
Nikolay Saveliev – Toronto Varsity Blues – Midfielder
Luka Lee – Ryerson Rams – Midfielder
Jamie Baker – Ryerson Rams – Forward
Fabio Campoli – UOIT Ridgebacks – Forward
EAST DIVISION SECOND-TEAM ALL-STARS
Mark Rogal – Toronto Varsity Blues – Goalkeeper
Kyle Stewart – Ryerson Rams – Defender
Weber Bourjolly – Carleton Ravens – Defender
Carl De Abreu – Trent Excalibur – Defender
Alexander Zero – Nipissing Lakers – Defender
Daud Dahir – Carleton Ravens – Midfielder
Harry Michelis – Toronto Varsity Blues – Midfielder
Erik Petrovic – UOIT Ridgebacks – Midfielder
Aaron Chia – Trent Excalibur – Midfielder
Mekonen Lovemore – Carleton Ravens – Forward
Matthew Wilkes – Laurentian Voyageurs – Forward
WEST DIVISION FIRST-TEAM ALL-STARS
Kyle Vizirakis – Windsor Lancers – Goalkeeper
Justin Springer – Guelph Gryphons – Defender
Tahrik Rodriques – Laurier Golden Hawks – Defender
Daniel Gogarty – York Lions – Defender
Chuka Ononye – Western Mustangs – Defender
Jonathan Lao – York Lions – Midfielder
Dena Iezady – York Lions – Midfielder
Yunus Mollayev – McMaster Marauders – Midfielder
Parker Seymour – Western Mustangs – Midfielder
Niklas Bauer – Laurier Golden Hawks – Forward
Cristian Cavallini – York Lions – Forward
WEST DIVISION SECOND-TEAM ALL-STARS
Andrew Johnstone – Algoma Thunderbirds – Goalkeeper
Aaron Schneebeli – Western Mustangs – Defender
Matt Arnone – York Lions – Defender
Marco Bernabo– Windsor Lancers – Defender
Aleksandar Vincic – McMaster Marauders – Defender
Marco Gennaccaro – McMaster Marauders – Midfielder
Ryan Telfer – York Lions – Midfielder
Ethan Danielli – Guelph Gryphons – Midfielder
Jeremy Arnold – Western Mustangs – Midfielder
Tomasz Skublak – Guelph Gryphons – Forward
Jace Kotsopoulos – Guelph Gryphons – Forward
