BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Prior to the start of the 2023 Gulf South Conference Men’s Soccer Championship set for this weekend, the GSC announced the 2023 All-GSC teams and major yearly awardees, as selected by the league’s head coaches.
 
The four yearly awards were equally split before Mississippi College and West Alabama. For Mississippi College, senior Joshua Davies captured GSC Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Kevin Johns was named Coach of the Year. West Alabama meanwhile saw sophomore Baronyi Kengeye receive Offensive Player of the Year accoaldes, while rookie David Nunez was voted Freshman of the Year.
 
In all-conference voting, Mississippi College led the way with a conference-best five All-GSC selections, highlighted by three First Team selections. West Alabama followed with four total nods, while Auburn Montgomery, Lee and West Florida meanwhile had three honorees each. Overall ten teams had at least one all-conference representative. 
 
Kengeye became won top offensive honors after finishing as the conference’s top scorer with 24 points, including a league-best 11 goals. The native of Kasulu, Tanzania also topped the conference charts with five game-winning goals and 26 shots on goal. Kengeye is the first Tiger to receive GSC Offensive Player of the Year honors since it began in 2019, and the UWA student-athlete to win an individual yearly award since Thibault Charney was named GSC Player of the Year recognition in 2014.
 
Davies garnered the conference’s top yearly defensive accolades for the second consecutive year and is the first player in league-history to accomplish the feat. The senior was a consistent feature in the Choctaws’ backline as he appeared and started in all 16 matches, while amassing 1,336 minutes. A native of Southampton, England, Davies tallied one goal and one assist, while tallying 12 shots and five on goal. 
 
Nunez picked up the conference’s top freshman accolades and became the first West Alabama men’s player to earn the award. A native of Gijon, Spain, Nunez recorded 10 points in his debut season with three goals and four assists. The rookie also tallied nine shots on goal and 737 minutes, while starting eight of the 14 matches he played.
 
Johns captured the league’s top coaching honors by his peers for the third time in his career and first since 2019. In his 21st season with the program, the long-time head coach directed Mississippi College to its third-ever GSC men’s soccer regular season title as the Choctaws were unbeaten in league play with a record of 8-0-3 and had a +23 goal difference. Overall, Johns’ squad was 12-1-3, while leading the league in goals, goals per game, and goal margin per game.
 
The GSC Men’s Soccer Championship will begin Sunday, Nov. 5 with quarterfinal action on the campus at the four highest seed. John Hunt Park and the City of Huntsville, Ala., will host advancing teams for the tournament’s final two rounds. For tournament details including matchups, kickoff times, ticket info and more, click here to visit the championship central. All games can be seen on FloFC. 
 
2023 GSC MEN’S SOCCER AWARDEES
Offensive Player of the Year: Baronyi Kengeye, West Alabama
Defensive Player of the Year: Joshua Davies, Mississippi College
Freshman of the Year: David Nunez, West Alabama
Coach of the Year: Kevin Johns, Mississippi College
 
FIRST TEAM^
William Blake, Sr., GK, Auburn Montgomery
Joshua Davies, Sr., D, Mississippi College*!
Fynn Geigle, So., D, West Florida*
Ellis Williamson, Sr., D, West Alabama
Shane Petit, So., M, West Alabama*
Guilherme Santos, Gr., M, Mississippi College
Stan De Vries, Sr., M, Union
Marco Osti, Gr., M, Christian Brothers
Eamon McLaughlin, M, Sr., Lee
Baronyi Kengeye, So., F, West Alabama
Max Buesch, Gr., F, Mississippi College
Arturo Riestra, Jr., F, Delta State
Josiah Fontenot, Jr., F, West Florida
 
SECOND TEAM
Cole Turner, R-So., GK, Mississippi College
Max Klink, Gr., GK, Christian Brothers^
Luke Fanstone, Jr., D, Mississippi College
Charlie Elliott, Sr., D, Auburn Montgomery*
Jose Bannwart, Gr., D, Alabama Huntsville
Caue Novaes, Jr., , West Florida
Fabian Navarro, Jr., M, Lee*#
Nicolas Atkinson, Jr., M, Auburn Montgomery
Marc Ehmann, Jr., M, Lee
Mattia Maiello, Sr., F, Shorter^
Rafa Vega, So., F, Alabama Huntsville
Adrian Evrard, So., F, West Alabama
 
^ - Roster expanded due to tie in voting
* - First Team All-GSC in 2022
$ - Second Team All-GSC in 2022
# - First Team All-GSC in 2021
! - Second Team All-GSC in 2021