BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer team has revealed its end of the year team awards.
18th-year head coach Reid Ayers recognized 42 participating student-athletes for their efforts during the 2019 campaign, while six players were honoured with varsity awards for their performances.
The six top honorees were senior CoSIDA All-American, CoSIDA Academic All-American, All-Ohio Athletic Conference, and Academic All-OAC forward Danny Ruple (Berea/Berea-Midpark), senior All-OAC goalkeeper Patrick Mehal (Richfield/Revere), senior Academic All-OAC forward Joey Geither (Parma/Normandy), sophomore All-OAC and Academic All-OAC defender Trevor Hamm (Strongsville), freshman defender Zach Hoover (Chagrin Falls), and senior defender Blake Knox (North Canton/Hoover).
Ruple was named the team's Co-Most Valuable Player Award recipient. He is a Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, three-time Academic All-Ohio selection, three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 first team selection, and a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, including the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in 2019. Athletically, Ruple is a United Soccer Coaches All-American, four-time All-OAC and Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association (OCSA) All-Ohio selection, was named the OAC's Forward of the Year twice, and also claimed the OAC's Freshman of the Year Award in 2016. This season, the senior forward garnered an OAC-leading 17 goals and 41 points, as well as a team-leading seven assists. For his career, Ruple appeared in 77 games and currently holds the all-time men's soccer program records for goals (58), assists (30), and points (146). Ruple also holds the single-season goals and points marks set in his 2017 sophomore campaign with 19 and 45, respectively. He is also an accounting major and carries a 3.93 grade point average.
Mehal was named the team's Co-Most Valuable Player Award recipient. Following a career year, Mehal earned his first career All-OAC honorable mention, OCSA Academic All-Ohio second team, and OCSA All-Ohio third team selections. He started in all but one of BW's 20 games this season, and garnered a career-best win total and win percentage, with a record of 9-8 on the year. His 1.38 goals against average, 19 starts, and three shutouts had also marked career-bests. Mehal completes his senior season with a career record of 21-27-4, 1.95 goals against average, .712 save percentage, 10 shutouts, and having logged approximately 4706 minutes. The senior goalkeeper earned his fourth varsity letter this past fall. He is also a public health major who carries a 3.4 GPA.
Geither was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year Award recipient for the second consecutive season. He earned his second straight OCSA Academic All-Ohio selection, and is a three-time Academic All-OAC honoree. Geither is a Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, and was voted to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 7 first team for the first time in 2019. This seaon, he garnered totals of six goals, and a team and career-high seven assists for 19 points; all of which representing second-best on the team. For his career, Geither appeared in 69 games, recording 16 goals and 18 assists for 50 points. The senior forward earned his fourth varsity letter this past fall. He is also a digital media and design major who carries a 3.91 GPA.
Hamm was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year Award recipient. He earned his second consecutive OCSA All-Ohio and All-OAC selections, as well as his first career Academic All-OAC honor this past season. The sophomore defender posted career-highs of one goal, two points, and four shots on goal in 2019, and helped anchor a Yellow Jackets defense that accumulated seven shutouts, and limited opponents to 1.22 goals and 14.9 shots per game. The finance major and Dean's List student carries a 3.72 grade point average and also earned his second varsity letter this past fall.
Hoover was named the team's Rookie of the Year Award recipient. The freshman defender appeared in 14 games and made 13 starts in 2019. He garnered one goal and one assist for three points. He also took four shots, including two on-goal. The accounting major earned his first varsity letter this fall.
Knox was named the team's Player's Player Award recipient. In addition to earning his first varsity letter in 2019, the senior defender appeared in three games, and garnered his second consecutive Academic All-OAC selection. He completes his four-year career at BW with six games played. The international business major, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, Phi Kappa Tau fraternity member who also carries a 3.55 grade point average.
The Yellow Jackets finished the 2019 campaign with an 11-9 record and a 4-5 mark in conference play.
