STANDISH, Maine – The 2019 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's soccer postseason accolades have been announced and eight Saint Joseph's College players have earned honors.
Senior Noah Robinson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) and junior David Walbridge (Hampden, Mass.) highlight the list for the Monks after being selected as the GNAC Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively.
Seniors Mitchell Duncan (Sanford, Maine), Jackson Taylor (Gorham, Maine) and Noah Robinson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) and junior David Walbridge (Hampden, Mass.) have garnered First Team All-Conference honors while seniors Cody Elliott (Gorham, Maine) and Ryan Buonaiuto (Scituate, R.I.) are listed on the Second Team and sophomores Kuma Onyejose (East Greenwich, R.I.) and Austin Ward (North Andover, Mass.) have claimed Third Team accolades.
Robinson garners GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after scoring a team-high eight goals with 17 total points during his senior season. The four-year starter and 2019 team captain helped anchor a backline that allowed just 0.484 goals per game, the third-lowest mark in NCAA DIII Men's Soccer, this fall. For his career, Robinson netted 23 goals – including six game-winners - with eight assists for 54 total points over 80 games.
Walbridge claims the GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year honor after enjoying a fine season as a first-year starter. In 20 starts, the junior netminder posted a 15-2-3 record with seven shutouts and a 0.46 goals against average. In 1,758 minutes in goal, Walbridge allowed nine goals with 43 saves for an .827 save percentage. He led the conference in goals against average and wins and was second in the league in minutes, save percentage, shutouts, and fewest goals allowed.
Duncan earns First Team All-GNAC honors for the second year in a row after netting seven goals with five assists for a team-high 19 points in 20 games this fall. The three-time All-Conference honoree capped his career with 21 goals – including six game-clinchers - and 17 assists for 59 total points in 82 games.
Taylor claims All-Conference accolades for the third-consecutive year after scoring a pair of goals with eight assists for 12 total points in 18 games this season. A pivotal two-way player for the Monks, the senior midfielder and team captain tallied six goals and 22 assists for 34 total points in 82 career games.
Elliott takes home All-GNAC honors for the second-consecutive season after potting a pair of goals with six assists for 10 total points in 21 games this fall. He caps his college career as the Monks' all-time assists leader with 36 helpers and leaves the program ranked third all-time with 66 career points.
Buonaiuto earns All-Conference honors for the first time and dishing out a pair of assists in 15 starts this season. An athletic and quick defender, the senior captain was an important player for the Monks on the backline and in transition and finished his career with 10 goals and 23 total points in 75 games over four seasons.
Onyejose collects his first All-Conference award after netting five goals – including two game-winners – with two assists for 12 total points during his sophomore season. One of the fastest players in the conference – if not the region – Onyejose was a game-changer and focal point for the Monks up top this fall.
Also claiming his first All-GNAC honor is Ward, who tallied seven goals and two assists for 16 total points this season and was a major contributor in all facets during his sophomore campaign.
Under the watch of first-year Head Coach Will Pike '11, the Monks posted a 16-2-3 record – including a 9-0-2 mark in conference play – en route to earning the #2 seed in the GNAC Tournament. The Monks advanced to the conference championship for the fourth-consecutive season with hard fought tourney wins over Emmanuel and Norwich, but their bid to claim a fourth-straight GNAC title were dashed in a 1-0 double-overtime loss to top-seeded Johnson & Wales University in the conference championship on Saturday.
The loss signaled the end of collegiate soccer for the Monks' seven seniors: Ryan Buonaiuto (Scituate, R.I.), Mitchell Duncan (Sanford, Maine), Cody Elliott (Gorham, Maine), Brennan Goodrich (Essex Junction, Vt.), Noah Robinson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Jackson Taylor (Gorham, Maine), and Keenan Welzel (Brunswick, Maine).
During what is arguably the most impressive four-year span posted by a program in SJC Athletics history, this senior class played a hand in 87 games with an incredible 71-5-11 (.816) overall record, including an undefeated 37-0-4 (.902) mark in conference play, with three GNAC Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Over the last four seasons, the Monks tallied 68 shutouts and outscored their opponents by a 241-28 margin.