PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the season’s final weekly men’s soccer honors, for the week ending Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Offensive Player of the Week
Adrian Billhardt * Jr. * F * USF
Billhardt was a key player in back-to-back conference wins for USF, propelling the Bulls to the No. 3 seed for the upcoming American Athletic Conference Championship. He tallied three goals (six points) over both games, beginning with a penalty kick score in USF’s 4-0 win over Cincinnati on Saturday. Billhardt then bookended the Bulls’ scoring in a critical 3-1 win at Memphis on Tuesday, finding the net in the 20th minute and again in the 83rd minute.
Defensive Player of the Week
Javain Brown * So. * D * USF
Brown contributed on both ends of the field in USF’s 2-0 week against league foes. In the Bulls’ 4-0 shutout against Cincinnati, he scored the game’s opening goal just six minutes in while the USF defense allowed just a single shot on goal from the Bearcats. On Tuesday, Brown and the Bulls downed Memphis 3-1 while yielding six shots on goal. The wins pushed USF into the No. 3 seed for the American Championship.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Grant Makela * R-Jr. * SMU
Makela collected another 2-0 week between the pipes for SMU, including his fifth shutout of the season. The redshirt junior needed to make just two saves as the Mustangs defeated UConn 1-0 on Saturday. He then stepped up in a big way at Temple on Tuesday, turning aside a season-high seven shots as SMU earned a 2-1 win in double overtime. The win gave the Mustangs the No. 2 seed for the conference championship.
Rookie of the Week
Gianluca Arcangeli * R-Fr. * M * UCF
Arcangeli was the difference-maker in a two-game stretch that saw UCF earn The American’s outright regular season title and No. 1 seed for the upcoming league championship. In the 85th minute against Memphis on Saturday, he netted the lone goal against Memphis to deliver the top seed to UCF. Arcangeli then opened the scoring in what would be a 3-2 overtime win for UCF at Cincinnati, finding the net in the 50th minute.
Weekly Honor Roll
Cal Jennings * Sr. * F * UCF
Tallied six points in UCF’s three-game week, including two goals and two assists; scored UCF’s second goal and assisted on the first score in the Knights’ 3-2 overtime win at Cincinnati on Tuesday
Yannik Oettl * Jr. * GK * UCF
Made eight saves in UCF’s 3-0-0 week to propel the Knights to the regular-season crown; turned aside one shot in a 1-0 win over Memphis and two shots in a 3-2 overtime win at Cincinnati
Moussa Wade * Fr. * F * UConn
Netted the first two goals of his career on Tuesday in the Huskies’ 6-3 win against Tulsa; the victory captured the final spot in the championship field for UConn
Harrison Devenish-Meares * Sr. * GK * USF
Earned a shutout and a road victory in goal for USF, including a 4-0 win over Cincinnati and a 3-1 win over Memphis; made five total saves including four against the Tigers on Tuesday
Knut Ahlander * So. * M * SMU
Registered three points, including a goal and assist, in SMU’s 2-0 week to clinch the No. 2 tournament seed for the Mustangs; assisted on the lone goal in a 1-0 over UConn and scored the opening goal in a 2-1 overtime win at Temple