Bill Elliott was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year Thursday, Nov. 5, after guiding the University of West Florida men’s soccer program through its first season as an NCAA Division I program. UWF finished 6-7-1 overall and 5-3 in ASUN play. The Argonauts secured the No. 3 seed in the ASUN Championship.
Rafael Esteves and Joao Ribero also earned Second Team All-ASUN honors. Esteves was recognized as a midfielder, while Ribero received the honor as a defender. Six UWF players also earned Academic All-ASUN recognition.
Esteves leads ASUN in assists
Esteves started all 14 games and recorded 10 points on two goals and six assists. His six assists led the ASUN. The midfielder also earned a spot on the Second Team All-ASUN.
Ribero earned his Second Team All-ASUN selection after starting all 10 games he played. The defender anchored the UWF backline during the program’s first Division I season. His selection gave UWF two players on the conference’s second team.
Six UWF players earn academic honors
Dane Christiansen, Adrian Rodriguez, Andrey Gentil, Chase Haskins, Flynn Halsor and Tobias Gjesdahl were named Academic All-ASUN. The honor requires student-athletes to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5. Christiansen is a redshirt freshman.
The academic honors added another dimension to UWF’s recognition following its first Division I season. Elliott received the conference’s top coaching honor, while Esteves and Ribero represented the program on the Second Team All-ASUN. The six academic selections brought the total number of UWF players recognized in the announcement to eight.
UWF set for ASUN Championship opener
UWF will play No. 6 seed Queens in the first round of the ASUN Championship Saturday, Nov. 7, at 11 a.m. in Conway, Ark. The matchup follows UWF’s 5-3 ASUN finish. The conference record earned the Argonauts the No. 3 seed.
The tournament opener will be UWF’s next competition after Elliott received the Coach of the Year honor. Esteves enters the match as the ASUN leader in assists, while Ribero provides an all-conference presence on the backline. The program will carry its conference seeding and individual recognition into the meeting with Queens.
FSB Take
UWF’s awards show progress across coaching, on-field performance and academics during its first NCAA Division I season. Elliott’s honor and the selections of Esteves and Ribero give the program conference recognition on both sides of the field, while six Academic All-ASUN selections reflect the program’s classroom standards. The No. 3 seed now gives UWF a defined postseason opportunity against No. 6 seed Queens.
Source: Original report