GSC Announces 2017 Men's Soccer All-Conference Awards
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference has announced the 2017 men’s soccer all-conference awards, as voted on by the league’s coaches. Christian Brothers’
Brendan Bennett has been named the GSC Player of the Year, while Montevallo’s
Cesare Marconi has been named the GSC Freshman of the Year. Matthew Thorne, head coach of the 2017 GSC Regular Season Champions from West Alabama, has been named GSC Coach of the Year.
Bennett is the first player from CBU to take home the conference’s top individual honor since 2003. The Buccaneers had four different players win GSC Player of the Year each year from 2000-2003. In addition to player of the year honors, Bennett was honored with a First Team All-GSC selection for the second time in his career. The senior was one of only six players in the league to average more than a point per game and he finished tied for third in goals scored. He also was tied for the league lead with three game-winning goals.
Marconi led the Falcons to a berth in the GSC Championship in Montevallo’s first year back in the GSC since 2008. The freshman finished fifth in the league in points per game and fourth in the league in goals per game, pacing UM in both categories. Marconi is the first Montevallo men’s soccer player to ever be named the league’s top freshman. He earned GSC Freshman of the Week honors four times in 2017 and was a First Team All-GSC selection.
In his sixth year at the helm of West Alabama, Thorne wins GSC Coach of the Year honors for the first time. This season, Thorne led the Tigers to their second regular season conference title in three years, and UWA will be looking to win the GSC Championship for the fourth straight season during tournament play this week. Eight Tigers were named all-conference this season, the most in the GSC.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| F |
Ali Brador |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Ronchin, France |
| F |
Cesare Marconi |
Montevallo |
Fr. |
Loano, Italy |
| F |
Jordan Wright* |
Alabama Huntsville |
Sr. |
West Lothian, Scotland |
| MF |
Brendan Bennett* |
Christian Brothers |
Sr. |
Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| MF |
Corentin Diverres |
Alabama Huntsville |
So. |
Guidel, France |
| MF |
Jacob Farthing* |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Wales, United Kingdom |
| MF |
Harrison Roberts^ |
West Alabama |
Jr. |
Runcorn, England |
| D |
Jamie Cox |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Sallins, County Kildare, Ireland |
| D |
Andrew Forrest^^ |
Christian Brothers |
Sr. |
Lanark, Scotland |
| D |
Jack Shiels* |
West Alabama |
So. |
Manchester, England |
| GK |
Humberto Pelaez* |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Panama City, Panama |
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| F |
Victor Bazan |
Mississippi College |
Fr. |
Lima, Peru |
| F |
Liam Moore |
Montevallo |
So. |
Milton Keynes, England |
| F |
Gaspard Voituriez-Donnelly |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Paris, France |
| MF |
Kameron Bethell* |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Hitchin, England |
| MF |
Gunnar Birgisson^ |
Alabama Huntsville |
Sr. |
Alftanes, Iceland |
| MF |
Horacio Gutierrez, Jr. |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
El Paso, Texas |
| MF |
Liam Ireland^ |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
| D |
Keegan McQueen |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Birmingham, Ala. |
| D |
Elliot Rimmer |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Clinton, Miss. |
| D |
Samir Williams |
Lee |
So. |
Snellville, Ga. |
| GK |
Viktor Hoestbo |
Christian Brothers |
So. |
Stenloese, Denmark |
| GK |
Brad Louis |
West Alabama |
Sr. |
Birmingham, Ala. |
* Indicates previous First Team All-GSC selection
^ Indicates previous Second Team All-GSC selection
GSC Player of the Year: Brendan Bennett, Christian Brothers
GSC Freshman of the Year: Cesare Marconi, Montevallo
GSC Coach of the Year: Matthew Thorne, West Alabama