Ten named Academic All-OAC for Men's Soccer
By Caleb Scott
ADA — The Ohio Northern men's soccer team landed ten athletes on the Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference list for the 2016 season.
Seniors Brandon Homan (Napoleon/Napoleon), Tommy Troy (Toledo/Central Catholic), Aaron Smith (Westerville/Central), Dustin Lorenzo (Sidney/Sidney) and Grant Allbritten (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community), and juniors Chris Garbig (Wilder, Ky./Highlands), Dean McNeil (Medina/Medina), Mac Tompkins (Fairview, Pa./Fairview), Cory Lains (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) and J.J. Fortner (Maumee/Anthony Wayne) all earned the honor for the Polar Bears.
The award winners must be a sophomore or higher in class standing, maintain varsity status and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50.
Homan, a Biochemistry/Pre-Med major from Napolean, was named Academic All-OAC for the second time in his career.
The senior defender appeared in and started in 21 games this season for Northern, while scoring one goal and adding four assists.
Troy, a Biology major from Toledo, earned his third Academic All-OAC honor as a Polar Bear.
The senior appeared in 22 of Northern's 23 contests this season and ranked fifth on the team with six goals and also added three assists.
Smith, an Athletic Training major from Westerville, earned the honor for the third time in his career.
Aaron was sidelined for the season with an injury in 2016.
Lorenzo, a Criminal Justice major from Sidney, earned his third career Academic All-OAC honor.
The senior appeared in all 23 contests for the Polar Bears, making three starts.
Lorenzo posted four goals and four assists this season.
Allbritten, a Biochemistry/Pre-Med major from Warsaw, Ind., was named Academic All-OAC for the third time in his career.
The First Team All-OAC selection started appeared in and started in 20 games for Northern this season and scored two goals and added three assists on the season.
Garbig, a Business Management major from Wilder, Ky., earned his Academic All-OAC honor as a Polar Bear.
Garbig was also a First Team All-OAC selection after starting in 22 of the teams 23 contests and scoring two goals and adding four assists.
McNeil, a Middle Childhood Education major from Medina, was named Academic All-OAC for the second time in his career.
McNeil, a Second Team All-OAC honoree, led the Polar Bears defensively.
The junior led the team and conference in nearly every major category with a 0.55 goals against average, 12 shutouts, a .854 save percentage and only 13 goals allowed over the course of the season.
McNeil also currently ranks second all-time at ONU with 27 career shutouts.
Tompkins, a Mathematical Statistics major from Fairview, Pa., earned his second Academic All-OAC honor.
The junior appeared in all 23 games this season, while making two starts.
Mac posted two assists for the Polar Bears this season.
Lains, a Pharmaceutical Business major from Zionsville, Ind., was named Academic All-OAC for the second time in his career.
Cory appeared in 11 games for Northern, while adding one assist.
Fortner, a Pharmaceutical Business from Maumee, earned his second Academic All-OAC honor as a Polar Bear.
Fortner made nine starts in 22 appearances for Northern in 2016.
The junior scored two goals and added four assists for the Polar Bears.
Northern concluded the 2016 campaign after earning an at large bid to the NCAA III Tournament before falling 1-0 in the first round to No. 6-ranked Calvin (Mich.).