Men's Soccer | 12/2/2021 8:57:59 AM
Five student-athletes from the Empire 8 were named to the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Division III Men's Region III team. Nazareth freshman forward Drew Deck was named to the first team, while teammates Logan Menna and Cooper LaValley and Andrew Vogler, along with Utica's Sory Konate were named to the second team.
Konate was named the 2021 Empire 8 Player of the Year, while Menna was the Goalkeeper of the Year. All five honorees earned Empire 8 first team accolades in 2021.
All five student-athletes are eligible for All-America honors, which will be announced in early December.
Decker, of Clifton Park, N.Y., made an immediate impact on the Golden Flyers' fortunes in 2021 as he started all 18 games and set a single-season record with 13 assists. He also tallied four goals and was honored as a first-team E8 Conference all-star.
Konate, a native of Harlem, NY, led the Pioneers with 14 points in 18 games. The junior finished with five goals on 30 shot attempts this season while assisting on four goals. Four of his five goals on the season came during the Pioneers' last seven games as his white-hot stretch helped UC win a pair of crucial conference matches en route to earning the three-seed in the conference tournament. His totals of five goals and four assists both ranked seventh in the E8.
Menna, of Lancaster, N.Y., started all 18 games as a goalkeeper for the Golden Flyers and had a 0.89 goals-against average to go with an .830 save percentage and seven shutouts. He previously was honored as Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year.
LaValley, of Rochester, N.Y., also started all 18 games in 2021 and finished second on the team in scoring with 24 points on 10 goals and four assists. He earned first-team all-E8 honors for the second time.
Vogler, of Dansville, N.Y., had one goal and one assist in 17 games for the Golden Flyers in 2021 and spearheaded a defensive unit that limited the opposition to a 0.91 goals-against average with nine shutouts. He also converted the decisive penalty kick in Empire 8 Conference semifinals against St. John Fisher that vaulted the Golden Flyers to the E8 championship game. He also was a first-team all-conference selection.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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