Drexel's Daranijo, JMU's Bush Headline CAA Men's Soccer Postseason Award Winners
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (April 15, 2021) – Drexel senior forward
Laolu Daranijo was selected as the CAA men’s soccer Player of the Year as the conference announced its postseason awards on Thursday. James Madison senior goalkeeper
TJ Bush was honored as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, while JMU freshman midfielder
Axel Ahlander was chosen as the CAA Rookie of the Year. After guiding JMU to an unbeaten regular season,
Paul Zazenski was named the CAA Coach of the Year by his peers.
Daranijo leads the CAA with 10 goals and 21 points in just 10 matches. The senior forward ranks third nationally in goals per game and is seventh in points per game. Daranijo scored at least once in seven of the Dragons’ 10 contests and had multiple goals three times. He is the first Drexel player to receive CAA men’s soccer Player of the Year honors.
Bush had a sensational senior campaign, allowing just one goal in 553 minutes of action. His 0.16 GAA leads the nation and he’s also first among all Division I goalies in save percentage (.960). Bush, who made the All-CAA first team for the third time, recorded four solo shutouts and hasn’t given up a goal since March 27. He is JMU’s first Defensive Player of the Year since 2000.
Ahlander becomes JMU’s first Rookie of the Year since 2007. The freshman midfielder started all six games for the Dukes and was part of a defense that limited opponents to just 7.7 shots per game.
Zazenski earned his second CAA Coach of the Year award in just three seasons as head coach of the Dukes. JMU went 5-0-1 overall and was the only team to go undefeated in conference action with a 4-0 mark. The Dukes, who outscored opponents 9-1 this season, are currently ranked No. 18 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
JMU had six players receive all-conference recognition, including three on the first team, as Bush was joined by junior defender Melker Anshelm and senior defender Thomas Judge.
UNCW also had six all-conference honorees, with three making the first team. Senior midfielder Jacob Evans, sophomore midfielder Colton Pleasants and sophomore defender Jaden Strumeier made the top squad.
Hofstra had senior forward Matthew Vowinkel and senior defender George O’Malley on the first team, while Drexel junior forward Chris Donovan joined Daranijo. Rounding on the first team was William & Mary sophomore midfielder Alexander Levengood.
The 2020 CAA Men’s Soccer Championship kicks off on Thursday with a pair of semifinal matches. At Noon, James Madison meets Drexel, followed by Hofstra against UNCW at 4 p.m. The two winners advance to Saturday’s championship match at Noon.
| 2020 CAA MEN’S SOCCER HONORS |
| 2020 CAA Player of the Year: Laolu Daranijo, Drexel |
| 2020 CAA Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Bush, James Madison |
| 2020 CAA Rookie of the Year: Axel Ahlander, James Madison |
| 2020 CAA Coach of the Year: Paul Zazenski, James Madison |
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| First Team All-CAA |
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| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Laolu Daranijo |
Drexel |
F |
Sr. |
Lagos, Nigeria |
| Chris Donovan |
Drexel |
F |
Jr. |
Paoli, Pa. |
| Matthew Vowinkel |
Hofstra |
F |
Sr. |
New Hyde Park, N.Y. |
| Jacob Evans |
UNCW |
M |
Sr. |
Chester, Cheshire, England |
| Alexander Levengood |
William & Mary |
M |
So. |
Richmond, Va. |
| Colton Pleasants |
UNCW |
M |
So. |
Raleigh, N.C. |
| Melker Anshelm |
James Madison |
D |
Jr. |
Stockholm, Sweden |
| Thomas Judge |
James Madison |
D |
Sr. |
Freehold, N.J. |
| George O’Malley |
Hofstra |
D |
Sr. |
Harrow, England |
| Jaden Strumeier |
UNCW |
D |
So. |
Morganville, N.J. |
| TJ Bush |
James Madison |
GK |
Sr. |
Herndon, Va. |
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| Second Team All-CAA |
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| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Timmy Ennin |
Northeastern |
F |
So. |
East Hartford, Conn. |
| Luca Erhardt |
James Madison |
F |
Jr. |
Willstatt, Germany |
| Axel Ahlander |
James Madison |
M |
Fr. |
Duken, Norway |
| Alfredo Bozalongo |
William & Mary |
M |
So. |
Logrono, La Rioja, Spain |
| Jeppe Jordoson |
Elon |
M |
So. |
Haderslev, Denmark |
| Storm Strongin |
Hofstra |
M |
Sr. |
Hicksville, N.Y. |
| Pedro Barbolla |
Delaware |
D |
Fr. |
A Coruna, Spain |
| Tyler Clegg |
James Madison |
D |
Jr. |
Manassas, Va. |
| Peter Dearle |
Charleston |
D |
Jr. |
Nottingham, England |
| Vemund Hole Vik |
Elon |
D |
So. |
Aalesund, Norway |
| Gabriel Perrotta |
UNCW |
GK |
So. |
Asuncion, Paraguay |
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| Third Team All-CAA |
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| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Ryan Carmichael |
Hofstra |
F |
Fr. |
Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Mattias Cooper |
Elon |
F |
So. |
Oslo, Norway |
| Athit Berg |
UNCW |
M |
Jr. |
Baerum, Norway |
| Benni Klingen |
Northeastern |
M |
Jr. |
Wadersloh, Germany |
| Kyle Tucker |
Drexel |
M |
Jr. |
Phoenixville, Pa. |
| Marcos Villeda |
William & Mary |
M |
So. |
Fairfax, Va. |
| Aron Adalsteinsson |
Delaware |
D |
So. |
Reykjavik, Iceland |
| Joe Core |
William & Mary |
D |
Fr. |
Arlington, Va. |
| Michael Hornsby |
UNCW |
D |
Sr. |
Biberach An Der Riss, Germany |
| Cameron Smith |
Charleston |
GK |
Jr. |
Lexington, S.C. |
| Renan Thomazo |
Delaware |
GK |
Jr. |
Montsoult, France |
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| CAA All-Rookie Team |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Axel Ahlander |
James Madison |
MF |
Fr. |
Duken, Norway |
| Pedro Barbolla |
Delaware |
D |
Fr. |
A Coruna, Spain |
| Ryan Carmichael |
Hofstra |
F |
Fr. |
Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Joe Core |
William & Mary |
D |
Fr. |
Arlington, Va. |
| Cesar Banacloy Harcourt |
Drexel |
D |
Fr. |
Valencia, Spain |
| Alex Krakowiak |
James Madison |
M |
Fr. |
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada |
| Jeffrey Masser |
UNCW |
M |
Fr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
| Justin Ruth |
Delaware |
M |
Fr. |
North Wales, Pa. |
| Zach Sauer |
Northeastern |
D |
Fr. |
Hebron, Conn. |
| Will Stack |
William & Mary |
GK |
Fr. |
Oakwood, Ohio |
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