ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After a dominant run through league play, the No. 6 UCF men's soccer team has earned five major American Athletic Conference regular season awards.
For the second consecutive year, Cal Jennings has won the Offensive Player of the Year. At the beginning of the season, Jennings was tabbed as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and lived up to the expectations. He posted 13 goals and four assists throughout the season, including eight points in conference play. Even when not registering a point, Jennings found ways for the Knights to create offense night in and night out.
Jennings is the second Knight to win back to back Offensive Player of the Year awards. Matias Pyysalo won the honor in 2016 and 2017 before Jennings won the award in 2018 and 2019. A UCF player has taken home the conference Offensive Player of the Year award in all but one season since joining The American and has won the honor in five consecutive seasons.
Yannik Oettl also won a back to back honor as he was tabbed as The American Goalkeeper of the Year. Just as Jennings, Oettl was the favorite to win the award in the preseason. Oettl posted a career high five shutouts in the regular season with one of them coming in conference play. He had a 1.07 goals allowed average and .742 save percentage in The American. Oettl started all 16 matches in net for the Black and Gold in 2019 is up to 28 career victories and 11 shutouts as a junior.
Yoni Sorokin earned the conference Midfielder of the Year, making it back to back years that a Knight has taken home the award. Sorokin compiled three goals and an assist in conference play, bringing his season total to four goals and five assists, placing him fourth on the team in points. Two of his goals came on penalty kicks.
Gino Vivi left his mark in his freshman campaign as he was pegged as the Rookie of the Year. Vivi was best known for his ability to finish in overtime as he netted three golden goals over the course of the season, all of which were in conference play. He was tied with Jennings in league matches with three goals, two assists and eight points. Overall, Vivi collected five goals and four assists, sitting third on the team in points with 14. He is the first Knight to win Rookie of the Year during UCF's time in The American.
Posting an overall record of 13-1-2 during the regular season and a 6-0-1 mark in conference play, head coach Scott Calabrese and company have won Coaching Staff of the Year. Associate Head Coach Paul Souders, Assistant Coach Jamie Davies, Director of Operations Eddie Wilding and Volunteer Goalkeeper Coach Peter Davis all played a vital part in continuing what the team achieved last season. The 2019 Knights are just the third team in The American's seven-season history to go unbeaten in conference play.
After losing 10 seniors, the staff brought in 11 new Knights and picked up right where the 2018 team left off. The UCF men's soccer team has posted back to back 13-win seasons for the first time in program history, topping their previous best of back to back 12-win seasons in 2010 and 2011. This is the second consecutive season that the Knights have won the conference Coaching Staff of the Year.
UP NEXT
UCF received a bye in the first round of The American championship tournament as they are the No. 1 seed. They'll face the No. 5 seeded Temple Owls in the semifinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to the final of the conference tournament. To visit The American championship tournament central, click here.
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