WALTHAM, Mass. — Five members of the Brandeis University men's soccer team have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Division III All-New England teams. Senior forward Tyler Savonen of Orleans, Mass., and junior defender Conon Lanahan of Avon, Conn., were named to the first team All-Region and will be eligible for All-America honors. Sophomore midfielder Josh Ocel of North Attleboro, Mass., was named to the second team, while senior forward Michael Soboff of Framingham, Mass., was a third-team selection. Finally, junior midfielder Jake Picard of Suffield, Mass., was selected to the fourth team.
Earlier this season, Savonen became the fourth player in school history named MVP of the University Athletic Association. He finished second in the conference in goals (9) and points (21) this season. He scored three game-winning goals, fifth-most in the UAA, including a pair in conference games. Savonen finished his career ranked eighth on the Judges' career scoring list with 87 points and seventh with 35 goals. He was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-American earlier this year.
Lanahan anchored a Judge defense that finished third in NCAA Division III with a school-record 0.38 goals-against average. The Judges allowed just nine goals in 23 contests and set another school record with 17 shutouts. Lanahan added a goal and an assist on the offensive end of the field. He was named UAA Defensive Player of the Week once during the season.
Soboff was second on the team in goals (6) and third in points (16), good for eighth in the league despite missing five entire games and parts of three others due to injury. He scored the game-winning goal in the Judges' 3-0 win over Husson University in the opener of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 15. Soboff was named NSCAA National Player of the Week on Sept. 23 after scoring game-winning goal against an unbeaten WPI squad and assisting the winner in a 2-0 win over Tufts, who would go on to win the Division III tournament.
Ocel and Picard held down the Brandeis midfield. Ocel was the team's and the UAA's top play-maker, finishing with nine assists, while his 17 points were tied for sixth in the league. He ranked 44th in Division III in total assists, eighth in New England. He also had four goals to finish with 17 points, tied for sixth in the UAA. Ocel picked up a key assist in the Judges' 1-0 win over Bowdoin in the second round of the NCAA tournament on No. 16.
Picard was a defensive force in the air. He also scored a game-winning goal on Sept. 24 against Babson and added two more in Brandeis's NCAA Tournament-opening win over Husson University.
Brandeis finished 2014 with a 19-3-1 record, tying the school record for wins in a season. The Judges reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III tournament with wins over Husson and Bowdoin at home, and a penalty-kick shootout against Amherst in the Sweet 16 before falling to Oneonta State in the Elite Eight. In head coach Michael Coven's 42nd season, the Judges were ranked No. 6 in the final NSCAA Division III poll.
Savonen is a 2011 graduate of Nauset Regional High School.
Lanahan is a 2012 graduate of Avon High School.
Soboff is a 2010 graduate of Newton North High School.
Ocel is a 2013 graduate of Worcester Academy.
Picard is a 2012 graduate of Suffiled High School.
Click here for the full NSCAA All-New England teams.
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