DALLAS – All eight Conference USA men’s soccer programs are represented across the 2019 All-Conference teams and major award winners, with several repeat honorees to go along with new selections. All awards are voted on by the eight head coaches, with the exception of Golden Glove and Golden Boot, which are given based on statistical excellence in certain categories.
 
Kentucky’s Aimé Mabika headlines as Player of the Year and Co-Defensive MVP. The redshirt senior lived up to expectations after being named the 2019 C-USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He paced a defensive unit that totals a league-leading eight shutouts and has allowed just 14 goals, the second least in the conference. In his 1575 minutes played so far, Mabika is also tied for third on the Wildcats with three goals. The 6’6” defender has caused problems all season for offenses around the nation, helping Kentucky to a 0.78 goals-against average.
 
FIU’s Nick O’Callaghan shares Defensive MVP honors. The senior is second only to the goalkeeper in minutes on the Panthers squad with 1409. He has paced FIU to four shutouts on the season. The team has allowed just 17 goals, as well. In addition to his defensive efforts, O’Callaghan has four points off one goal and two assists.
 
Offensive MVP and Freshman of the Year Milo Yosef has had a breakout year with Marshall, who has had one of their most successful seasons to date in 2019. Yosef leads C-USA with 11 goals, 25 points and 0.61 goals per game. His goal total is good for 21^st in the nation and leads a scoring offense ranked 10^th in the country. He has sealed several of Marshall’s 13 wins, recording four game winners so far.
 
FIU’s Andrew Booth received Midfielder of the Year accolades in the first year of the award. The senior has played in every game for the Panthers and is tied for the team lead with five goals. He paces the Panthers with 14 points, good for ninth in the league. His offensive output powers a high-scoring squad that rates ninth in the nation with 2.38 goals per game.
 
Elliot Panicco earned the third Golden Glove award of his storied career with Charlotte. He also took home the conference’s inaugural Goalkeeper of the Year award. Panicco shattered the 49ers program record in career shutouts this season after recording seven thus far. He currently sits at 34 during his time at Charlotte. The redshirt senior leads the league with a 0.59 goals against average, good for sixth in the country. The 49ers have allowed just 10 goals in 2019, with only three of them coming in league play. He received a share of the Golden Glove award for his four shutouts in conference action.
 
Marshall’s Paulo Pita also recorded four shutouts in C-USA matches to earn the other share of the Golden Glove award. Pita leads the conference with a 0.792 save percentage as the Thundering Herd have only allowed 15 goals in 2019.
 
Garnering the Golden Boot award is FIU’s Alessandro Campoy. The junior totaled five goals in conference play. His five scores tie him for the team lead. He is ranked fourth in C-USA with 0.42 goals per game. Campoy posted his best offensive output against Florida Atlantic with seven points off a hat trick and an assist.
 
Rounding out the superlative award winners is Coach of the Year Chris Grassie. The third-year head coach guided Marshall to one of their best seasons in program history in 2019. The Thundering Herd claimed their first C-USA regular-season title and No. 1 seed in the C-USA Championship. Their 13 wins is the most since 2000 when they won the MAC Championship. Grassie’s squad landed in the Top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches National Poll, the first time Marshall has been ranked since 2001. Their current No. 13 ranking is the highest in program history.
 
Charlotte earned two more First Team selections in Patrick Hogan and Teddy Chaouche.
 
Hogan is a key member of the 49ers defense that ranks among the top ten in the country in goals-against average (0.59) and has recorded seven shutouts. He also scored the game-winning goal against UAB.
 
Playing at midfielder, Chaouche totals 20 points, six goals and eight assists. His point total is tied for third in C-USA, he is tied for second in assists and tied for fourth in goals. He has also assisted a 49ers defense that has only allowed 10 goals on the year.
 
Marshall’s Illal Osmanu received First Team honors for his role in the Thundering Herd defense that has conceded just 15 goals. His 1668 minutes played are the most on the team and he’s started in all 18 matches. Marshall has recorded six shutouts on the season, largely due to Osmanu’s leadership on the field.
 
Florida Atlantic’s Alonso Coello Camarero is one of the youngest players on First Team. The sophomore midfielder started 14 matches of the regular season for the Owls and played exceptionally on both sides of the ball. His performance all year helped Florida Atlantic to their first C-USA Championship berth in program history.
 
Kentucky’s Kalil ElMedkhar completes the 2019 First Team. The 2019 Preseason C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Year holds the top spot on the Wildcats with 19 points off seven assists and six goals. His point total is tied for fourth in the league, pacing an offense that ranks third in the conference with 33 goals on the season.
 
The head coaches also voted on a Second Team, Third Team and All-Freshman Team, listed below.
 
The 2019 C-USA Men’s Soccer Championship kicks off Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the ODU Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia. Marshall, Charlotte, FIU, Kentucky, Florida Atlantic and South Carolina will face off in the six-team, three-day championship with all matches streamed on ESPN+. The winner of the championship will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
2019 C-USA Men’s Soccer All-Conference Award Winners
Player of the Year Presented by Ready Nutrition
Aimé Mabika, Kentucky
 
Offensive MVP
Milo Yosef, Marshall
 
Co-Defensive MVPs
Nick O’Callaghan, FIU
Aimé Mabika, Kentucky
 
Midfielder of the Year
Andrew Booth, FIU
 
Goalkeeper of the Year
Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
 
Freshman of the Year
Milo Yosef, Marshall
 
Coach of the Year
Chris Grassie, Marshall
 
Co-Golden Glove Award
Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
Paulo Pita, Marshall
 
Golden Boot Award
Alessandro Campoy, FIU
 
First Team All-Conference
GK: Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
D: Patrick Hogan, Charlotte
D: Nick O’Callaghan, FIU
D: Aimé Mabika, Kentucky
D: Illal Osmanu, Marshall
MF: Teddy Chaouche, Charlotte
MF: Andrew Booth, FIU
MF: Alonso Coello Camarero, Florida Atlantic
MF: Kalil ElMedkhar, Kentucky
F: Alessandro Campoy, FIU
F: Milo Yosef, Marshall
 
Second Team All-Conference
GK: Enrique Facusse, Kentucky
GK: Paulo Pita, Marshall
D: Jimmy Filerman, Old Dominion
D: Frano Buhovac, South Carolina
MF: Alban Rousselet, FIU
MF: Alex Alexis, Florida Atlantic
MF: Marcel Meinzer, Kentucky
MF: Pedro Dolabella, Marshall
MF: Deniz Dogan, Old Dominion
F: Ivan Mykhailenko, Florida Atlantic
F: Daniel Evans, Kentucky
F: Jamil Roberts, Marshall
 
Third Team All-Conference
GK: Daniel Gagliardi, FIU
D: Luke Johnson, Charlotte
D: David Garcia, FIU
D: Tom Abrahamsson, Florida Atlantic
D: Jan-Erik Leinhos, Marshall
D: Chris Reichman, UAB
MF: Joe Brito, Charlotte
MF: Xavi Olmos Ferris, FIU
MF: Sebastien Hauret, Old Dominion
MF: Logan Hitzeman, South Carolina
MF: Chase Rushing, UAB
F: Kameron Lacey, Charlotte
F: Brian Banahan, South Carolina
 
All-Freshman Team
Kameron Lacey, F, Charlotte
Axel Sigurdarson, MF, Charlotte
AJ Cousins, D, FIU
David Garcia, D, FIU
Tom Abrahamsson, D, Florida Atlantic
John Michael Bandy, D, Kentucky
Eythor Bjorgolfsson, MF, Kentucky
Max Schneider, MF, Marshall
Milo Yosef, F, Marshall
Jose Olmos, D, Old Dominion
Brian Banahan, F, South Carolina
Logan Hitzeman, MF, South Carolina