Dec. 10, 2014
LEXINGTON, KY – The Kentucky men’s soccer team picked up four individual awards from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The Wildcats received a trio of first-team all-region awards, which went to goalkeeper Callum Irving, central midfielder Napo Matsoso and central defender Jordan Wilson.
Kentucky has never had more than three players selected NSCAA All-Region prior to this season.
The Wildcats turned in a bounce-back 2014 season, winning 10 games, including three against ranked opponents, and finishing second on the Conference USA regular season table.
The junior goalkeeper was also voted the Conference USA Defensive MVP and a First-Team All-C-USA selection. Irving was recipient of the inaugural Golden Glove Award for posting the most shutouts (five) in C-USA play. He finished with 10 shutouts total on the season, which tied for fourth most in the nation.
Matsoso, a first-team All-C-USA selection, finished with five goals and four assists in 2014, and was the key to an opportunistic offense which won 10 games in a bounce-back year for the Cats. He netted UK’s game-winner against Marshall and scored a go-ahead goal vs. No. 7 Charlotte.
Wilson, like Matsoso, emerged as an elite player in his sophomore season. He was a first-team All-C-USA selection and earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13.
Striker Justin Laird made second-team all-region. Laird tied for sixth on the UK single-season all-time list with three game-winning goals in 2014. He ranks tied for 14th with four career game-winning goals.
He finished with 47 shots, the ninth-most in UK single-season history.
All first-team selections are now eligible for NSCAA All-America consideration.
Ten of UK’s regular starting 11 are slated to return for the 2015 season.
Kentucky All-Region Honorees
2014: Callum Irving, Justin Laird, Napo Matsoso, Jordan Wilson
2013: Steven Perinovic, Tyler Riggs
2012: Matt Lodge, Steven Perinovic
2011: Dylan Asher, Matt Lodge
2010: Dylan Asher, Matt Lodge
2009: Jason Griffiths, Barry Rice, Dan Williams
2008: Jason Griffiths, Barry Rice, Dan Williams
2007: Barry Rice
2006: Michael D’Agostino, Riley O’Neill
2005: Andy Guenebaum
2004: Jamal Shteiwi, Brandon Stewart
2003: Jamal Shteiwi
2002: Nathan Fleetwood, Jamal Shteiwi
2001: Ilkka Jantti, John Monebrake
2000: Ilkka Jantti
1999: Lee Baker, Giovanni Fernandes, Illka Jantti
1998: Lee Baker, Giovanni Fernandes, Ilkka Jantti
1997: Brien Baltzell, Sean Mondelli
1996: Sean Endicott, Sean Mondelli
1995: Brian Dausman, Todd Weissmueller
1994: Brian Dausman, Tim Fisk
1993: Greg Kotzbauer
