WALTHAM, Mass. — Brandeis University senior forward Tyler Savonen of Orleans, Mass., has been named the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Most Valuable Player. He was one of a program-record five first-team All-UAA selections for the Judges, along with one second-team honoree and one honorable mention. The five first-teamers are the most in the UAA since 2005.
Joining Savonen on the All-UAA first team were senior goalkeeper Joe Graffy of Concord, N.H.; junior defender Conor Lanahan of Avon, Conn.; sophomore midfielder Josh Ocel of North Attleboro, Mass.; and junior midfielder Jake Picard of Suffield, Conn. Sophomore forward Zach Vieira of Andover, Mass., earned second-team honors, while senior Robbie Lynch of Weymouth, Mass., was an honorable mention.
Savonen became the fourth player in school history named MVP of the UAA and the second in the past three seasons. He joins Sam Ocel '13, Ken Hannan '95 and Michael Novaria '90 to earn the league's top honor. Savonen, who earned All-UAA honorable mention last season, finished second in the conference in goals (9) and points (20) this season. He scored three game-winning goals, fifth-most in the UAA, including a pair in conference games. Savonen buried an overtime penalty kick to defeat Case Western Reserve in the conference opener on Oct. 5, and one early in the second half to defeat Emory on Oct. 19. Savonen enters the postseason ranked eighth on the Judges' career scoring list with 86 points and seventh with 35 goals.
Graffy, Lanahan and Lynch anchored a Judge defense that finished third in NCAA Division III after the regular season with a school-record 0.31 goals-against average. The Judges allowed just six goals in 19 contests and tied another school record with 14 shutouts. Graffy's individual 0.31 GAA and .882 save percentage led the UAA and ranked fourth and ninth in Division III, respectively. Lanahan also added a goal and an assist on the offensive end of the field, while Lynch had two goals, including a UAA overtime winner at Washington University on Oct. 31. Each was named UAA Defensive Player of the Week once during the season.
Picard and Ocel held down the Brandeis midfield. Picard was a defensive force in the air, who also scored a game-winning goal on Sept. 24 against Babson. Ocel was the team's and the UAA's top play-maker, finishing with eight assists. He ranked 60th in Division III in helpers. He also had four goals to finish with 16 points, tied for sixth in the UAA.
Vieira was tied for third on the team in goals (6) and point (14), good for 12th in the league. He had a five-match scoring streak early in the season and added a UAA overtime game-winner against Carnegie Mellon on Oct. 17.
Brandeis finished the regular season ranked No. 5 in Division III with a record of 17-2. The Judges were 5-2 in the UAA, finishing in second place. In head coach Michael Coven's 42nd season, Brandeis was selected to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament for the third year in a row. The Judges will meet 13-7 Husson on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. in the opening round. Full details about the regional tournament can be found at http://www.brandeisjudges.com/sports/msoc/2014-15/ncaa/.