HIGH POINT, N.C. – Following a record-setting season in which the High Point University men’s soccer team won its second Big South regular season championship, the conference honored nine members of the team with All-Conference accolades. Junior defender Rashid Tetteh was named the Big South co-Defensive Player of the Year and head coach EJ O’Keeffe was named the Big South Coach of the Year.
In total, the Panthers placed seven players on the first, second and honorable mention All-Conference teams, the most since 2010 and the second-most in program history. Senior Ebe Kudolo, juniors Johnny Fenwick and Tetteh, and sophomores Jonathan Bolanos and Keegan Meyer earned first team honors, matching the most first team recipients in HPU history. Sophomore Ryan Inman was tabbed to the league’s second team while redshirt-sophomore Bana Ganidekam received honorable mention accolades. Additionally, senior Jonathan Ware was named to the All-Academic team.
“I am happy for each one of these players and most importantly our team,” O’Keeffe said. “Our overall team success is a big proponent for the accolades these student-athletes are receiving today. Each of them have worked hard and are deserving of this recognition. I’m excited to see what this team can achieve the rest of this season.
“I’m very happy for Rashid. I sound like a broken record, but I feel like we have the best two center backs in the league with Rash and Johnny Fenwick. Rash is an excellent 1v1 defender and has the ability to build our attack. He has grown immensely as a player and leader since first arriving at HPU. To see him earn this recognition is affirmation of that.”
EJ O’Keeffe | Big South Coach of the Year
O’Keeffe led his team to a 7-1-0 conference mark and the second-ever Big South regular season title. HPU won its final six conference matches, the longest league winning streak for High Point since 2010. Additionally, the Panthers hold the second-longest active winning streak in the nation with five straight victories to end the regular season. The Panthers ceded only three goals in conference play and currently possess the lowest GAA in program history (0.78). During O’Keeffe’s tenure, HPU has amassed a 28-15-14 mark, including a 15-5-5 record against Big South competition. He is the second coach to earn Coach of the Year at High Point, joining Dustin Fonder, who received the award in 2009 and 2010.
Rashid Tetteh | Defender | Co-Defensive Player of the Year | All-Big South First Team
Tetteh started and played all 17 games at center back for High Point, finishing second on the team in minutes played (1518). During Big South competition, he played all but 15 minutes in the nine conference matches. He headlined a defensive unit that led the conference in goals allowed (3), GAA (0.38), and shutouts (5) during Big South play. Tetteh is the first Defensive Player of the Year in High Point history and just the second player to earn Player of the Year honors in the program. This is the second All-Conference recognition for Tetteh, who was All-Big South second team last year.
Jonathan Bolanos | Midfielder | All-Big South First Team
Bolanos appeared in 16 games for the Panthers, starting 12, including eight of nine against Big South competition. The sophomore led the team in points (13), goals (6), shots (31), and shots on goal (15). The highlight of his campaign came on Oct. 14 when he tied a school and conference record with four goals in one game against Winthrop. Bolanos elevated his play against Big South teams, finishing tied for fourth in goals (5) and sixth in points (11) against league foes. This is his first career All-Conference honor.
Johnny Fenwick | Defender | All-Big South First Team
Fenwick, who was named the Preseason co-Defensive Player of the Year, earns All-Conference honors for the third time in as many years. He is just the eighth player in program history to earn three All-Conference declarations and has the chance to become only the third player in school history to do so in all four years. The junior started and played in all 17 games at center back, leading the team in minutes played (1607). Fenwick played all but two minutes all season, missing action briefly only due to a bloody nose at Elon. He was never subbed off the field otherwise. He was an instrumental cog on a defensive unit that led conference in goals allowed (3), GAA (0.38), and shutouts (5) during Big South play.
Ebe Kudolo | Midfielder | All-Big South First Team
Kudolo started and played in all 17 games for the Panthers, earning All-Big South first team honors for the third time in his career and becoming only the third Panther to receive three first team accolades. Kudolo was also on the first team in 2014 and 2015. The senior’s season was highlighted by scoring the go-ahead goal vs Radford in an eventual 2-1 victory and adding a tally against Liberty to seal the game in final 10 minutes. He finished tied for fourth on the team in points (5) and fourth in shots (15).
Keegan Meyer | Goalkeeper | All-Big South First Team
Meyer started 16 of 18 games in net for HPU and posted one of the best statistical seasons for a keeper in HPU history. He led the Big South in GAA in both overall (0.82) and conference-only games (0.38) and also topped the circuit in both overall (.794) and conference-only (.900) save percentage. Meyer played every minute in net and pitched a league-leading five shutouts in conference play, allowing only three goals. He tallied seven clean sheets on the season, finishing the campaign with four shutouts in his final five matches. His 0.82 GAA is currently the best single-season mark in school history while his .794 save percentage ranks second. The seven shutouts are fourth on HPU’s all-time list. This is his first career All-Conference honor.
Ryan Inman | Midfielder | All-Big South Second Team
Inman appeared in 14 games, starting 13 times. The sophomore tied for the team lead in assists (3), tied for second on the squad in points (7), tied for third in goals (2), and was third in shots (24). His season was highlighted by setting up two of High Point’s season-high four goals vs Winthrop with two assists and scoring the game-winning goal vs Liberty. Inman was an integral part to HPU’s team success, as the team posted an 8-3-2 record with him in the lineup. This is his first career All-Conference honor.
Bana Ganidekam | Midfielder | All-Big South Honorable Mention
Ganidekam appeared in and started the first 15 games of the season for HPU. He ranked among team leaders in shots (2nd, 25), goals (t-2, 2), assists (t-3, 1), and points (t-4, 5). The redshirt-sophomore scored both of his goals against UNC Asheville, including the game winner. In conference play, he was sixth among league players in shots per game (2.67). This is the second career honor for Ganidekam, who was on the second team and an All-Freshman honoree last season.
Jonathan Ware | Defender | All-Academic
Ware earned All-Academic honors with a 3.659 GPA in Biology. The senior is a three-time Millis Scholar Athlete and was on the 2017 Big South Presidential Honor Roll. On the field, he appeared in every game, starting 16 of the 17 at outside back. Ware started all eight conference games and played at least 70 minutes in each, recording the full 90 five times. He did not leave the pitch in the final four matches and was a key part of a defensive unit that led conference in goals allowed (3), GAA (0.38), and shutouts (5) during Big South play.
High Point awaits its semifinal opponent between No. 4 Liberty and No. 5 Gardner-Webb, who will play a first round match on Sunday. The Panthers will host the winner in the Big South semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at Vert Stadium.
2017 Big South Conference Men’s Soccer Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
F: Kieran Roberts, R-Jr., Radford
F: JJ Donnelly, Jr., Campbell
F: Sivert Daehlie, Jr., Radford
MF: Kevin Mendoza, Jr., Liberty
MF: Jonathan Bolanos, Soph., High Point
MF: Ebe Kudolo, Sr., High Point
MF: Victor Valls, R-Soph., Radford
D: Fraser Colmer, Sr., Radford
D: Rashid Tetteh, Jr., High Point
D: Johnny Fenwick, Jr., High Point
D: Gideon Betz, Soph., Campbell
GK: Keegan Meyer, Soph., High Point
AL: Tresor Mbuyu, Jr., Liberty
Second-Team All-Conference
F: Severin Soerlie, Soph, Gardner-Webb
F: Magnus Moldjord, Soph., Gardner-Webb
F: Max Hasenstab, R-Sr., Winthrop
MF: Evan Szklennik, Sr., Radford
MF: Ryan Inman, Soph., High Point
MF: Pepe Segarra, Sr., Liberty
MF: Sergio Pinto, MF, Soph., Presbyterian
D: Simen Sundborg Olsen, Soph., Gardner-Webb
D: Tom Devitt, Sr., Longwood
D: Max Edwards, Fr., Radford
D: Alex Dominguez, Sr., Liberty
GK: Matthew Mozynski, Sr., Campbell
AL: Alemu Mercer-Miko, Fr., Campbell
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Gary Parrish, D, Jr., Campbell
Bana Ganidekam, MF, Soph., High Point
Nil Vinyals, MF, Sr., Winthrop
Dante Bova, D, Fr., UNC Asheville
Jack Hoey, MF, Jr., Gardner-Webb
All-Freshman Team
Alemu Mercer-Miko, MF, Fr., Campbell
Max Edwards, D, Fr., Radford
Dante Bova, D, Fr., UNC Asheville
Adrian Edo Martin, MF, Fr., Presbyterian
Oskar Wang, MF, Fr., Gardner-Webb
Humberto Chavez, MF, Fr., Campbell
Clement Vannier, F, Fr., Presbyterian
Noy Daabul, D, Fr., Radford
Petter Johansen, MF, Fr., Gardner-Webb
Victor Menudier, D, Fr., Presbyterian
Jonas Olsaker, D, Fr., Gardner-Webb
All-Academic Team
Gideon Betz, D, Soph., Campbell
Magnus Moldjord, MF, Soph., Gardner-Webb
Jonathan Ware, D, R-Sr., High Point
Nico Bellarde, D, Jr., Liberty
Vaughn Fowler, D, Sr., Longwood
Ricardo Hernandez, MF, Soph., Presbyterian College
Fraser Colmer, D, Sr., Radford
Joe LaCasto, MF, Jr., UNC Asheville
Max Hasenstab, F, R-Sr., Winthrop
Attacking Player of the Year
Kieran Roberts, F, R-Jr., Radford
Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Fraser Colmer, D, Sr., Radford
Rashid Tetteh, D, Jr., High Point
Freshman of the Year
Alemu Mercer-Miko, MF, Fr., Campbell
Coach of the Year
E.J. O’Keeffe, High Point
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Fraser Colmer, D, Sr., Radford