Tulsa Men’s Soccer Sweeps Every American Conference Honor Possible

The Tulsa men’s soccer team claimed every American Athletic Conference honor possible this season, including Offensive Player of the Year (Alex Meinhard), Defensive Player of the Year (Mariano Fazio), Midfielder of the Year (Henry Sach), Goalkeeper of the Year (Alex Lopez), Rookie of the Year (Alex Lopez), Coaching Staff of the Year (Tulsa) and Team Fair Play Award (Tulsa).  The Golden Hurricane also placed five student-athletes on The American all-conference first team, one on the second team and one on the all-rookie team, as announced by the league office.

“Individual awards all come down to team awards,” Head Coach Tom McIntosh said.  “Obviously the individual deserves the award, but it is a byproduct of how the team performs.  The coaching award is also a reflection of the players because the only reason we get recognized is because our players and team have done so well.  I am also very proud of the Team Fair Play Award as that has been a point of emphasis this season.  It shows our level of discipline and self-control, our individual responsibility and our poise when it comes to yellow and red cards.”

Meinhard, who was a unanimous selection as the Offensive Player of the Year and to the all-conference first team, is a sophomore forward from Tartu, Estonia.  Meinhard has a team and conference-best 12 goals and 26 points on the season, while ranking second in game-winning goals (4) and third in shots (48) in the league.  He also ranks first in penalty kicks (1.00), eighth in total goals, ninth in shot accuracy (0.625), 13th in game-winning goals and 14th in total points in the nation.

A senior from Sevilla, Spain, Fazio was named as the Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the all-conference first team.  Fazio has started in all 15 games this season, has one goal for two points, and has been instrumental in all seven of TU’s shutouts.  

Sach, a senior from Benitachell, Spain, was tabbed as the Midfielder of the Year and picked up all-conference first team accolades.  He has started in 14 games, has two goals and two assists for six points, and ranks first in the nation in penalty kicks (1.00).  

A freshman from Madrid, Spain, Lopez was named as Goalkeeper of the Year (along with South Florida’s Kazuna Takase) and Rookie of the Year and picked up both all-conference first team and all-rookie team honors.  Lopez has logged 1246 minutes between the posts, picking up 33 saves for a 0.750 saves percentage and allowing 11 goals for a 0.79 goals-against average.  He ranks 21st in goals-against average, 62nd in saves percentage and 110th in goalie minutes played in the nation, and first in goals against average and third in saves percentage in the league.

Bromstedt, a fifth-year senior defender from Parkville, Mo., was named to the all-conference first team.  He has started in 14 games this season and has one goal and three assists for five points.  He has attempted 10 shots, six of which were on goal, and has been instrumental in all seven of TU’s shutouts.  

A sophomore forward from Plano, Texas, Henry-Scott picked up second-team all-conference recognition.  He ranks 36th in game-winning goals (3), 69th in total goals (7) and 117th in total points (16) in the nation, and third in game winners and fifth in both goals and points in the league.

Tulsa Head Coach Tom McIntosh, along with assistant coaches Jose Robles and Chase Robertson, graduate assistant Owen McCorkle, volunteer assistant Raudel Fierro-Perez and student assistant Ray Saari were tabbed as The American Coaching Staff of the Year.  TU also earned the Fair Play Award, which is given to the team with the fewest accumulated fouls, yellow cards and red cards in league play.