EDISON, NJ - Seven student-athletes from the Saint Peter's University men's soccer program, along with head coach
Julian Richens, combined for nine Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) postseason awards after finishing the 2019 regular season with the best conference record in program history.
Headlining the accolades were junior forward
Dominic Laws, who was named the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, as well as Richens, who garnered BSN Sports MAAC Coach of the Year accolades; the Peacocks also led the league with their seven all-conference honorees, as well. That figure is tied for the most in a single season in program history, having achieved the feat only once before in 2006.
"It's a great achievement for so many of the players to be recognized for their performance this season," said Richens. "They have put a lot of hard work in over the past few years, not just this season, so it's great for them to earn individual accolades as a reward. It reflects the success of our team performances this year and these players have been rewarded by the league's coaches with all-conference awards."
Richens earned his first MAAC Coach of the Year award since taking command in 2011. In the midst of his ninth season, Richens was voted as the unanimous Coach of the Year after the team was selected seventh in the MAAC men's soccer preseason poll earlier this year. Since then, under Richens' leadership, the Peacocks amassed a conference record of 9-1-0, the best mark by the team in program history. Richens is the fourth Peacock coach in the program's history to earn the honor, following Gerry McKeown (1994), Cesar Markovic (2003), and Guy Abrahamson (2010).
Laws, the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, was also a unanimous selection to the All-MAAC First Team. Laws led the MAAC in a slew of categories this year, recording a league-best 29 points. Laws also had top-marks in the league in shots (73), shots per game (4.29), points per game (1.71), goals (11), and goals per game (.647). Additionally, Laws was tied for second in the league in assists with seven, as well as shots on goal with 35. He earns those accolades despite not having been selected to the Preseason All-MAAC team.
The combination of Laws and Richens marks only the second time in program history in which two Peacocks have both received MAAC men's soccer major awards, with the other pair being Assaf Sheleg and Guy Abrahamson, who were the Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, in 2010. The Sunderland native also becomes the fourth Peacock to win MAAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, joining Douglas Narvaez (2004), Juan Gaviria (2006), and Murphy Wiredu (2007).
Laws is joined on the All-MAAC First Team by classmate
Jordan Jowers, who earned the only other unanimous selection among all players on the First Team. Jowers also had a fantastic year on the field, helping to lead the Peacocks to a historic season. The junior racked up 20 points on the year with seven goals and six assists, while also notching three game-winners in 2019. Perhaps his most dramatic goal came in a 2-1 double overtime win against Rider, in which the Middlesbrough native buried a penalty kick with less than 10 seconds remaining in the second overtime period to give the Peacocks a victory against the defending MAAC champions. The selection to the First Team was the second of his career after being named to the team last season, and the fourth All-Conference honor of his career after earning Second Team and All-Rookie spots in 2017.
Junior midfielder
Tom Coulson and
Jamie Davis were both selected to the All-MAAC Second Team for the first time in their careers, along with junior
Philip Smith who earned Second Teams honors among the league's defenders. The trio was a force this season, with superb efforts coming from all three players. Coulson tallied an impressive five goals and two assists on the year, menacing opponents with his missile-like free kicks. Davis had a very productive 2019, recording seven assists on the season, which ranked tied for third in the league. Smith held the line in an impressive Peacocks defense, which ranked among the league's elite in terms of goals against average. Smith also had his strongest offensive showing of his Peacocks career, recording two assists and a game-winning goal against Monmouth on Oct. 16.
The Peacocks also had a pair of freshmen named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team, including defender
Tom Climpson and goalkeeper
Herman Wulff. Climpson proved to be a dominant force in the back line, imposing his will on the opposition's attackers throughout the entire regular season. Wulff commanded the defense from the net in an impressive fashion during his rookie campaign, posting a MAAC-best 1.21 goals-against average after 16 appearances. The freshman also ranked third in the league with a .773 save percentage.
Up Next
The Peacocks get ready to do battle with Marist in the 2019 MAAC Men's Soccer Championship, as the Peacocks prepare to host the Red Foxes in the semifinal match on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m.
