Photo by: Tyson Murray/All-Pro Photography
Men’s Soccer Team Holds Annual Banquet
April 12, 2019 04:31 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team held its annual team banquet on Saturday, April 6.
The Mountaineers honored their senior class and looked back on a 2018 season where they won the Mid-American Conference regular-season title and reached the NCAA Tournament's second round.
The 2018 senior class of Stephen Banick, Rushawn Larmond, Joey Piatczyc and Jorge Quintanilla was honored for its contributions to the WVU men's soccer program.
Piatczyc was named the Abel "Shadow" Sebele Players' Player of the Year, and junior Ryan Kellogg was recognized with the Coaches' Award.
The 2018 season highlight video also was played at the event, which can be viewed here, while a photo gallery of the event is available here.
One of the most decorated players in program history, Piatczyc was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team and the All-North Region First Team. His record-breaking senior campaign also included MAC Player of the Year accolades. Piatczyc concluded his senior season ranked No. 7 nationally with 0.56 assists per game and 10 total assists, No. 11 with five game-winning goals, No. 27 with 1.44 points per game and No. 29 with 26 total points. He also led the team with eight goals and was second with 36 shots and 17 shots on goal.
His five game-winning goals tied a program record, while his 0.56 assists per game rank No. 5 all-time, and his 10 game-winning points and 10 assists are both tied for No. 6 in team history. Piatczyc's 35 career assists, five multi-assist matches and 0.50 assists per match are all program records, and he is No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists and No. 6 with 21 game-winning points.
Kellogg played in 20 matches and scored four goals with two assists. He finished fourth on the team with 10 points and had 19 shots and eight shots on goal. He netted two game-winning goals for the Mountaineers. Kellogg was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Second Team, the All-MAC Second Team and the Academic All-MAC Team. He also was recognized as a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete.
Voted on annually by members of the WVU men's soccer team, the Players' Player of the Year award was renamed in Sebele's honor in 2016. Sebele, who passed away in January 2016, was a midfielder for the Mountaineers from 2009-12.
The Coaches' Award honors the player that best exemplifies what it means to be a Mountaineer men's soccer player: honor, respect, philanthropy, leadership, academic success, selflessness, character and integrity.
West Virginia concluded the 2018 season ranked in the top 25 in each of the major poll's final rankings, coming in as high as No. 17 by Soccer America. WVU finished the year with a 14-7-0 record and a perfect 5-0-0 mark in MAC play to win the league's regular-season title. The Mountaineers were one of two teams nationally to go unbeaten and untied in conference play. The 14 wins were West Virginia's most since 2007 and one shy of the program record of 15, set in 2006.
For the 13th time in program history, the Mountaineers earned an NCAA Championship berth and advanced to the second round. The NCAA appearance was the fifth in coach Marlon LeBlanc's tenure, while WVU reached the second round for the seventh time and sixth since 2005.
In the NCAA statistical rankings, WVU led the MAC in nearly every category. West Virginia finished No. 3 in the country in assists per game (2.43), No. 5 in total assists (51), No. 7 in total points (135), No. 10 in points per game (6.43) and total goals (42), No. 12 in fewest fouls per game (9.62), No. 13 in shot accuracy (.496) and No. 15 in scoring offense (2.00). The Mountaineers also paced the league in save percentage (.769) and saves per game (4.29).
As a team, the Mountaineers' 51 assists and 129 shots on goal both set program records, while the 21 matches played and 135 total points are tied for third-most.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers honored their senior class and looked back on a 2018 season where they won the Mid-American Conference regular-season title and reached the NCAA Tournament's second round.
The 2018 senior class of Stephen Banick, Rushawn Larmond, Joey Piatczyc and Jorge Quintanilla was honored for its contributions to the WVU men's soccer program.
Piatczyc was named the Abel "Shadow" Sebele Players' Player of the Year, and junior Ryan Kellogg was recognized with the Coaches' Award.
The 2018 season highlight video also was played at the event, which can be viewed here, while a photo gallery of the event is available here.
One of the most decorated players in program history, Piatczyc was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team and the All-North Region First Team. His record-breaking senior campaign also included MAC Player of the Year accolades. Piatczyc concluded his senior season ranked No. 7 nationally with 0.56 assists per game and 10 total assists, No. 11 with five game-winning goals, No. 27 with 1.44 points per game and No. 29 with 26 total points. He also led the team with eight goals and was second with 36 shots and 17 shots on goal.
His five game-winning goals tied a program record, while his 0.56 assists per game rank No. 5 all-time, and his 10 game-winning points and 10 assists are both tied for No. 6 in team history. Piatczyc's 35 career assists, five multi-assist matches and 0.50 assists per match are all program records, and he is No. 2 all-time with 11 game-winning assists and No. 6 with 21 game-winning points.
Kellogg played in 20 matches and scored four goals with two assists. He finished fourth on the team with 10 points and had 19 shots and eight shots on goal. He netted two game-winning goals for the Mountaineers. Kellogg was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Second Team, the All-MAC Second Team and the Academic All-MAC Team. He also was recognized as a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete.
Voted on annually by members of the WVU men's soccer team, the Players' Player of the Year award was renamed in Sebele's honor in 2016. Sebele, who passed away in January 2016, was a midfielder for the Mountaineers from 2009-12.
The Coaches' Award honors the player that best exemplifies what it means to be a Mountaineer men's soccer player: honor, respect, philanthropy, leadership, academic success, selflessness, character and integrity.
West Virginia concluded the 2018 season ranked in the top 25 in each of the major poll's final rankings, coming in as high as No. 17 by Soccer America. WVU finished the year with a 14-7-0 record and a perfect 5-0-0 mark in MAC play to win the league's regular-season title. The Mountaineers were one of two teams nationally to go unbeaten and untied in conference play. The 14 wins were West Virginia's most since 2007 and one shy of the program record of 15, set in 2006.
For the 13th time in program history, the Mountaineers earned an NCAA Championship berth and advanced to the second round. The NCAA appearance was the fifth in coach Marlon LeBlanc's tenure, while WVU reached the second round for the seventh time and sixth since 2005.
In the NCAA statistical rankings, WVU led the MAC in nearly every category. West Virginia finished No. 3 in the country in assists per game (2.43), No. 5 in total assists (51), No. 7 in total points (135), No. 10 in points per game (6.43) and total goals (42), No. 12 in fewest fouls per game (9.62), No. 13 in shot accuracy (.496) and No. 15 in scoring offense (2.00). The Mountaineers also paced the league in save percentage (.769) and saves per game (4.29).
As a team, the Mountaineers' 51 assists and 129 shots on goal both set program records, while the 21 matches played and 135 total points are tied for third-most.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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