The Mid-American Conference (MAC) released the 2022 MAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams and Speciality Award winners today and Chicago State sophomore forward Niall Reid Stephen was named to the All-MAC Second Team.
"I am extremely happy for Niall," head coach Norris Howze said. "He is an exceptional player. As a team, we congratulate him for this honor."
Reid-Stephen is considered the most dynamic player on the team and constantly draws attention from opposing team's defenders and is often double teamed. Despite the extra effort to stop him, Reid-Stephen tied for the team lead in points with 11, ranked second on the team in goals scored with four and first in assists with three. He also led the team in shots with 44 and shots on goal with 17.
The Cougars just completed their first season as an affiliate member of the MAC and finished fifth in the five-team conference.
The following is this year's MAC men's soccer award winners:
2022 MAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Jared Embick, Akron
Player of the Year: Daniel Nimick, Western Michigan
Co-Goalkeeper of the Year: Brendan Graves, Bowling Green
Co-Goalkeeper of the Year: Hunter Morse, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Carson Hodgson, Western Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Forward: Dyson Clapier, Akron
Forward: Charlie Sharp, Western Michigan
Forward: Jason Shokalook, Akron
Midfielder: Eric Conerty, Western Michigan
Midfielder: Sergi Martinez, Bowling Green
Midfielder: Jonas Buechte, Akron
Defender: Daniel Nimick, Western Michigan
Defender: Malik Henry, Akron
Defender: Joey Akpunonu, Bowling Green
Defender: Will Jackson, Akron
Goalkeeper: Brendan Graves, Bowling Green
All-MAC Second Team
Forward: Mike Melaragni, Western Michigan
Forward: Dylan Sing, Western Michigan
Forward: Niall Reid-Stephen, Chicago State
Midfielder: John Fitzgerald, Akron
Midfielder: Adrian Corona, Northern Illinois
Midfielder: Alberto Anaya, Bowling Green
Midfielder: Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, Akron
Defender: Adrian Lara, Northern Illinois
Defender: Joel Sangwa, Akron
Defender: Jaylen Shannon, Western Michigan
Goalkeeper: Hunter Morse, Western Michigan
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. In 1991, the Chicago State women's tennis team became the first all-black college team to amass an unbeaten season at the NCAA level. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title, also making an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. Chicago State volleyball recorded a historic season in 2021, with Yanlis Feliz becoming CSU's first volleyball All-American and head coach Tony Trifonov earning selection as WAC Coach of the Year. During that same season, three different CSU teams earned victories over Big Ten opponents with men's soccer beating Northwestern, women's basketball upending Wisconsin and volleyball, which established a school record 17 wins and hosted a post-season volleyball tournament for the first time in program history, swept Indiana in Bloomington.
Follow the Cougars
For complete coverage of Chicago State University athletics, follow us on social media @ChiStateCougars (Twitter), @ChiStateCougars (Instagram), /ChiStateCougars (Facebook), or visit the official home of Chicago State athletics at GoCSUCougars.com.
