Nine Gamecocks Earn C-USA All-Conference Honors
Nov. 8, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Nine South Carolina men’s soccer student-athletes earned recognition from Conference USA coaches, as the league announced its awards Tuesday afternoon. Senior Danny Deakin was named First-Team All-C-USA for the second straight season. Two Gamecocks were named to the second team, five were named to the third team and two earned spots on the all-freshman team.
“I’m tremendously proud of all of our players that earned all-conference recognition in such a competitive league,” said Head Coach Mark Berson. “We are very well represented and that bodes well for the future of our program.”
Deakin tied for third in C-USA with 20 points (7G, 6A). His seven goals tied for the team lead and tied for fifth in the conference. The Sheffield, England native’s, six assists led the team and tied for second in the league. Of the 11 top scorers in C-USA, Deakin is one of only two players to log six assists. His five game-winning goals tied for the conference lead.
Making the all-conference second team was senior Kurtis Turner and sophomore Bjorn Gudjonsson. Turner has quarterbacked the Gamecock attack from the midfield all season, logging four points (1G, 2A), including the game-winning goal in a 3-0 victory at No. 18 Furman. Turner finished the regular season third on the team with 34 shots and fourth on the team with 12 shots on goal. The Sheffield, England native, was a third team selection last season.
Gudjonsson tied Deakin for the team lead and fifth in the conference with his seven goals. He finished the season second on the team in points with 15 (7G, 1A). The Reykjavik, Iceland native, earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors twice, which led South Carolina. Gudjonsson was the only player in the league to earn offensive player of the week honors twice. He scored the first goal in the team’s 2-1 win vs. No. 12 Kentucky on Senior Night.
Making the all-conference third team was senior Koty Millard, senior Ive Burnett, junior William Pyle, sophomore Peyton Ericson and freshman Julian Even Uldal. Millard and Burnett have been staples in the Carolina lineup as four-year starters. Millard finished the season with six points (2G, 2A), while Burnett anchored the Gamecocks backline. Last season, Millard was a second team selection and Burnett was a third team member. Ericson, who was on the all-freshman team last season, was another key member of the Carolina defense alongside Burnett. The Gamecocks five selections led the third team.
Pyle finished the season 10-4-1 in the net. He logged 56 saves, which was fourth in C-USA, and four shutouts. His .800 save percentage ranked third in the league and his 0.91 goals against average tied for fourth.
Veen Uldal, who started every match for Carolina rarely coming off the field, also earned a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team. Joining him on the all-freshman team was Luca Mayr. The native finished third on the team with nine points (3G, 3A). He led the Gamecocks in shots (46) and shots on goal (18).
The Conference USA Tournament begins on Wednesday at Marshall’s Veteran’s Memorial Soccer Complex. South Carolina, the No. 2 seed, squares off with seventh-seeded Old Dominion at 4:30 p.m. ET in the quarterfinals.
2016 Conference USA Men’s Soccer Awards
All-Conference USA First Team
GK Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
D Jordan Wilson, Kentucky
D Luke Waechter, Charlotte
D Matej Dekovic, Charlotte
M Chris Wehan, New Mexico
M Napo Matsoso, Kentucky
M Paul Marie, FIU
M Brandt Bronico, Charlotte
F Danny Deakin, South Carolina
F Niko Hansen, New Mexico
F Santiago Patino, FIU
All-Conference USA Second Team
GK Joe Kuzminsky, UAB
D Tom Smart, New Mexico
D Charlie Reymann, Kentucky
M David Valverde, UAB
M Kurtis Turner, South Carolina
M Cole Stringer, Old Dominion
M Jesse Miralrio, Old Dominion
M Trevor Starcher, Marshall
F Bjorn Gudjonsson, South Carolina
F Jason Fitzgerald, Florida Atlantic
F Luis Betancur, FIU
All-Conference USA Third Team
GK William Pyle, South Carolina
D William White, UAB
D Ive Burnett, South Carolina
D Peyton Ericson, South Carolina
D Arthur Duchesne, Marshall
D Alex Bumpas, Kentucky
D Juan Benedetty, FIU
M Koty Millard, South Carolina
M Julian Veen Uldal, South Carolina
M Niko Klosterhalfen, Old Dominion
M Chris Gurule, New Mexico
M Donald Tomlinson, FIU
M Max Rodriguez, Charlotte
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Elliot Panicco, GK, Charlotte
Ryan Spaulding, M, Charlotte
David Longo, D, FIU
Joris Ahlinvi, F, FIU
JJ Williams, F, Kentucky
Connor Probert, F, Kentucky
Tom Smart, D, New Mexico
Matt Constant, D, New Mexico
Sebastian Hauret, M, Old Dominion
Julian Veen Uldal, M, South Carolina
Luca Mayr, F, South Carolina
Eder Mora, MF, UAB
Massimo Ferrin, F, UAB
Player of the Year: Brandt Bronico, M, Charlotte
Offensive MVP: Brandt Bronico, M, Charlotte
Defensive MVP: Luke Waechter, D, Charlotte
Freshman of the Year: Elliott Panicco, GK, Charlotte
Golden Boot: Brandt Bronico, M, Charlotte
Golden Glove: Elliott Panicco, GK, Charlotte
Coach of the Year: Kevin Langan, Charlotte
