Drexel's Daranijo, JMU's Bush Headline CAA Men's Soccer Postseason Award Winners
4/15/2021 10:00:00 AM
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (April 15, 2021) – Drexel senior forward
Laolu Daranijo was selected as the CAA men’s soccer Player of the Year as the conference announced its postseason awards on Thursday. James Madison senior goalkeeper
TJ Bush was honored as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, while JMU freshman midfielder
Axel Ahlander was chosen as the CAA Rookie of the Year. After guiding JMU to an unbeaten regular season,
Paul Zazenski was named the CAA Coach of the Year by his peers.
Daranijo leads the CAA with 10 goals and 21 points in just 10 matches. The senior forward ranks third nationally in goals per game and is seventh in points per game. Daranijo scored at least once in seven of the Dragons’ 10 contests and had multiple goals three times. He is the first Drexel player to receive CAA men’s soccer Player of the Year honors.
Bush had a sensational senior campaign, allowing just one goal in 553 minutes of action. His 0.16 GAA leads the nation and he’s also first among all Division I goalies in save percentage (.960). Bush, who made the All-CAA first team for the third time, recorded four solo shutouts and hasn’t given up a goal since March 27. He is JMU’s first Defensive Player of the Year since 2000.
Ahlander becomes JMU’s first Rookie of the Year since 2007. The freshman midfielder started all six games for the Dukes and was part of a defense that limited opponents to just 7.7 shots per game.
Zazenski earned his second CAA Coach of the Year award in just three seasons as head coach of the Dukes. JMU went 5-0-1 overall and was the only team to go undefeated in conference action with a 4-0 mark. The Dukes, who outscored opponents 9-1 this season, are currently ranked No. 18 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
JMU had six players receive all-conference recognition, including three on the first team, as Bush was joined by junior defender Melker Anshelm and senior defender Thomas Judge.
UNCW also had six all-conference honorees, with three making the first team. Senior midfielder Jacob Evans, sophomore midfielder Colton Pleasants and sophomore defender Jaden Strumeier made the top squad.
Hofstra had senior forward Matthew Vowinkel and senior defender George O’Malley on the first team, while Drexel junior forward Chris Donovan joined Daranijo. Rounding on the first team was William & Mary sophomore midfielder Alexander Levengood.
The 2020 CAA Men’s Soccer Championship kicks off on Thursday with a pair of semifinal matches. At Noon, James Madison meets Drexel, followed by Hofstra against UNCW at 4 p.m. The two winners advance to Saturday’s championship match at Noon.
2020 CAA MEN’S SOCCER HONORS
2020 CAA Player of the Year: Laolu Daranijo, Drexel
2020 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Bush, James Madison
2020 CAA Rookie of the Year: Axel Ahlander, James Madison
2020 CAA Coach of the Year: Paul Zazenski, James Madison
First Team All-CAA
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Laolu Daranijo
Drexel
F
Sr.
Lagos, Nigeria
Chris Donovan
Drexel
F
Jr.
Paoli, Pa.
Matthew Vowinkel
Hofstra
F
Sr.
New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Jacob Evans
UNCW
M
Sr.
Chester, Cheshire, England
Alexander Levengood
William & Mary
M
So.
Richmond, Va.
Colton Pleasants
UNCW
M
So.
Raleigh, N.C.
Melker Anshelm
James Madison
D
Jr.
Stockholm, Sweden
Thomas Judge
James Madison
D
Sr.
Freehold, N.J.
George O’Malley
Hofstra
D
Sr.
Harrow, England
Jaden Strumeier
UNCW
D
So.
Morganville, N.J.
TJ Bush
James Madison
GK
Sr.
Herndon, Va.
Second Team All-CAA
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Timmy Ennin
Northeastern
F
So.
East Hartford, Conn.
Luca Erhardt
James Madison
F
Jr.
Willstatt, Germany
Axel Ahlander
James Madison
M
Fr.
Duken, Norway
Alfredo Bozalongo
William & Mary
M
So.
Logrono, La Rioja, Spain
Jeppe Jordoson
Elon
M
So.
Haderslev, Denmark
Storm Strongin
Hofstra
M
Sr.
Hicksville, N.Y.
Pedro Barbolla
Delaware
D
Fr.
A Coruna, Spain
Tyler Clegg
James Madison
D
Jr.
Manassas, Va.
Peter Dearle
Charleston
D
Jr.
Nottingham, England
Vemund Hole Vik
Elon
D
So.
Aalesund, Norway
Gabriel Perrotta
UNCW
GK
So.
Asuncion, Paraguay
Third Team All-CAA
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Ryan Carmichael
Hofstra
F
Fr.
Armagh, Northern Ireland
Mattias Cooper
Elon
F
So.
Oslo, Norway
Athit Berg
UNCW
M
Jr.
Baerum, Norway
Benni Klingen
Northeastern
M
Jr.
Wadersloh, Germany
Kyle Tucker
Drexel
M
Jr.
Phoenixville, Pa.
Marcos Villeda
William & Mary
M
So.
Fairfax, Va.
Aron Adalsteinsson
Delaware
D
So.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Joe Core
William & Mary
D
Fr.
Arlington, Va.
Michael Hornsby
UNCW
D
Sr.
Biberach An Der Riss, Germany
Cameron Smith
Charleston
GK
Jr.
Lexington, S.C.
Renan Thomazo
Delaware
GK
Jr.
Montsoult, France
CAA All-Rookie Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Axel Ahlander
James Madison
MF
Fr.
Duken, Norway
Pedro Barbolla
Delaware
D
Fr.
A Coruna, Spain
Ryan Carmichael
Hofstra
F
Fr.
Armagh, Northern Ireland
Joe Core
William & Mary
D
Fr.
Arlington, Va.
Cesar Banacloy Harcourt
Drexel
D
Fr.
Valencia, Spain
Alex Krakowiak
James Madison
M
Fr.
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Jeffrey Masser
UNCW
M
Fr.
Tampa, Fla.
Justin Ruth
Delaware
M
Fr.
North Wales, Pa.
Zach Sauer
Northeastern
D
Fr.
Hebron, Conn.
Will Stack
William & Mary
GK
Fr.
Oakwood, Ohio