Seven Mavericks Named to All-Summit Soccer Teams
Nov 10, 2016 | Men's Soccer
DENVER, Colo. – Seven Omaha players were named to the 2016 All-Summit League Men's Soccer Teams, the conference office announced Wednesday evening. Senior midfielder Fazlo Alihodzic led the way, securing Summit League Offensive Player of the Year recognition, and junior forward Emmanuel Hamzat was named Summit League Newcomer of the Year.
The First Team included four Mavericks: Alihodzic, Hamzat, redshirt junior goalkeeper Joseph Ghitis and freshman defender Seth Rinderknecht. Two more UNO players were named to the Second Team: senior midfielder Mark Moulton and redshirt junior defender Jacob Weiler. Hamzat, Rinderknecht and freshman midfielder Fred Frimpong also each earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Alihodzic becomes Omaha's first player to be named Summit League Offensive Player of the Year. He recorded a team-leading 22 points on eight goals and six assists. In conference play, the senior had a league-leading nine points on three goals and three assists. Alihodzic won Offensive Player of the Week honors three times in 2016.
Hamzat was second for the Mavericks with 14 points on six goals and two assists. He won Summit League Offensive Player of the Week accolades on Oct. 24.
Ghitis, who started 16 games in goal this season, led the league with a .778 save percentage and ranked in the top five in saves (56), goals against (16), goals-against average (1.01), wins (eight) and shutouts (six). The Weston, Fla., native was named Summit League Defensive Player of the Week four times during the regular season.
Rinderknecht, the only freshman on the First Team, had four points from two goals and two assists during his first season. He started every game for Omaha at center back and logged a team-high 1,545 minutes.
Moulton, a product of Creighton Prep, appeared in all 68 games of his four-year Maverick career and capped his senior year with five points on two goals and an assist. He set the program's career points record with 47.
Weiler, who came to UNO from Fargo South, had three points on a goal and an assist. He was named Summit League Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26.
Frimpong, an Ankeny graduate, appeared in 15 games with two starts in his freshman campaign. He registered his first collegiate shot against DePaul and played a season-high 42 minutes.
Omaha makes its second appearance at the Summit League Men's Soccer Championship this weekend at the tournament's No. 1 seed. The Mavericks face No. 4 seed Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. CT at CIBER Field in Denver, Colo.
MEN'S SOCCER ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS/AWARDS
FIRST TEAM
Fazlo Alihodzic, Omaha, M
Jacob Bevan, Western Illinois, F
Reagan Dunk, Denver, D
Kortne Ford, Denver, D
Nick Gardner, Denver, GK
Joseph Ghitis, Omaha, GK
Sam Hamilton, Denver, M
Emmanuel Hamzat, Omaha, F
Karsten Hanlin, Denver, F
Seth Rinderknecht, Omaha, D
Zach Tom, Fort Wayne, M
SECOND TEAM
Scott DeVoss, Denver, D
Blake Elder, Denver F
Ben Fiddes, Western Illinois, D
Mark Moulton, Omaha, M
Mike Novotny, Eastern Illinois, GK
Fernando Pacheco, Western Illinois, M
Santiago Riveros, Oral Roberts, M
Andre Shinyashiki, Denver, F
Graham Smith, Denver, M
Oscar Uyamadu, Fort Wayne, F
Jacob Weiler, Omaha, D
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Alex Castaneda, Eastern Illinois, F
Daniel Collins, Western Illinois, M
Blake Elder, Denver, F
Fred Frimpong, Omaha, M
Thibaut Giquel, Oral Roberts, GK
Emmanuel Hamzat, Omaha, F
Jonathan Huerta, Eastern Illinois, M
Tyler LaCourse, Oral Roberts, D
Anton Olsson, Eastern Illinois, D
Seth Rinderknecht, Omaha, D
Graham Smith, Denver, M
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Fazlo Alihodzic, Omaha
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Reagan Dunk, Denver
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Nick Gardner, Denver
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Emmanuel Hamzat, Omaha
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jamie Franks, Denver
