WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's soccer team put six members on the 2015 All-University Athletic Association teams, while the team's coaching staff was named UAA Staff of the Year for the third time.
Head coach Mike Coven, in his 43rd year, at the helm, was also named UAA Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2012. He led the Judges to a 16-2-1 regular-season record and the team's first-ever outright UAA title and the league's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Coven is joined by associate head coach Gabe Margolis and assistant coaches Sean Eyde, Ryan Wilson and Tyler Savonen.
Two Brandeis players were named to the All-UAA first team – senior defender Conor Lanahan of Suffield, Conn., and junior midfielder Josh Ocel of No. Attleboro, Mass., while sophomore goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse of Suffield, Conn., was named first-team All-Association for the first time.
Lanahan, a center back who was an All-American and the D3Soccer.com National Defender of the Year as a junior, continued his fine play anchoring the back line. He helped the Judges lead the UAA with 10 goals allowed, a 0.51 GAA and 12 shutouts during the regular season. Lanahan was also one of the team's top threats in the air and took long free kicks. He scored two goals and had an assist for five points.
Ocel led the UAA for the second year in a row with nine assists in the regular season. He also scored three goals to finish with 15 points, fifth in the conference in the regular season. Ocel scored two game-winning goals during the season and added another in the postseason. With four goals and 10 assists through 21 games (including the NCAA tournament), Ocel has been involved in just under half of the team's goals this season (14 of 29).
Woodhouse, in his first season as the Judges' starter, finished second in the UAA with an .842 save percentage and 0.63 goals-against average. Woodhouse allowed just nine goals in 14 games and made 48 saves, fourth-most in the conference. His eight shutouts were the most in the league. Woodhouse is the second-straight Brandeis goalkeeper named first-team All-UAA.
On the All-Association second team were senior defender Robbie Lynch of Weymouth, Mass., senior midfielder Jake Picard of Avon, Conn., and junior forward Zach Vieira of Andover, Mass.
Lynch was a tenacious defender at left back for the Judges. He registered one assist on the season, but was instrumental in the team's stout defense with his tackling skills and ability to move the ball. Lynch was an All-UAA honorable mention last year.
Picard, an All-UAA first-team member last year, scored three goals this season , one of six different players with three tallies. All three of his goals were game-winners in 1-0 decisions for the Judges, including in Coven's 500th career victory in September. Picard is also a tremendous defensive midfielder known for his prowess on headers. Picard was previously named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2015.
Vieira was a second-team All-Association choice for the second year in a row. He scored three goals and had an assist. Two of his goals and his assist came in UAA contests, while his third goal was a game-winner as the Judges defeated then top-ranked and defending national champions Tufts University.
Junior center back Kyle Robinson of York, Maine, was an All-UAA Honorable mention.
The Brandeis men finished the regular season with a 16-2-1 record and were rewarded with their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament bid. The Judges defeated Thomas College, 2-1, and RPI, 2-1 in double overtime, this past weekend to advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the fourth year in a row. Currently ranked No. 3 in Division III by the NSCAA, they will meet No. 2 Trinity (Texas) in the third round of the tournament this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Amherst College. The Tigers handed the Judges one of their two defeats this season, 2-0, back on Sept. 5 in San Antonio.
For more information on Brandeis Athletics, please visit brandeisjudges.com or follow us on Twitter or Instagram @brandeisjudges, or follow us on Facebook.
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