Junior Essengue was named the 2026 ASUN Freshman of the Year, leading five Stetson men’s soccer players recognized in the ASUN postseason awards. Afonso Conde earned All-ASUN First Team honors, while Valentin Fontaine was selected to the All-ASUN Second Team. Essengue, Matthew Perez and Murillo Mello also made the ASUN All-Freshman Team, and all five received Academic All-ASUN recognition.
Stetson University Athletics announced the honors Nov. 5. The recognition came after Stetson finished the regular season 6-8-3 overall and 3-4-1 in ASUN play. The Hatters entered the ASUN Men’s Soccer Championship as the No. 4 seed.
Essengue headlines freshman selections
Essengue appeared in all 17 regular-season matches, made 15 starts and logged 1,237 minutes. The freshman defender recorded one goal and two assists for four points. His goal in Stetson’s 3-2 ASUN victory over Jacksonville was the game winner.
Essengue’s award gives head coach Emmett Rutkowski three ASUN Freshman of the Year selections in the last six seasons. Nelson Pereira won the award in 2021, and Xavi Csato received the honor in 2023. Stetson has produced 16 ASUN All-Freshman Team selections since 2021 and has placed multiple players on the team in six consecutive seasons.
Perez appeared in 12 matches and made six starts during his freshman season. He recorded three goals and two assists for eight points, along with 23 shots and 11 attempts on goal. Perez scored against West Florida, UCF and South Florida.
Mello made 10 starts in goal and recorded 31 saves, a 1.16 goals-against average, a .738 save percentage and two shutouts. He made a season-high nine saves in Stetson’s 2-2 draw at FGCU, including seven in the second half. Stetson secured its postseason berth with that result.
Conde, Fontaine earn all-conference honors
Conde earned All-ASUN First Team honors after leading Stetson in goals and points during the regular season. The graduate student appeared in 16 matches, made 13 starts and recorded six goals and one assist for 13 points. He also recorded three game-winning goals.
Conde scored twice in Stetson’s 4-1 victory at Lipscomb. He also recorded a goal and an assist in the Hatters’ 3-2 win over Jacksonville. Conde previously earned a spot on the 2023 ASUN All-Freshman Team.
Fontaine appeared in all 17 matches, made 15 starts and played 1,263 minutes. The sophomore midfielder recorded four goals and nine points. He scored both Stetson goals in the 2-2 draw at FGCU on Oct. 24, a result that secured the Hatters’ postseason berth.
Fontaine also scored against South Florida and Jacksonville. His All-ASUN Second Team selection followed his place on the 2025 ASUN All-Freshman Team. Stetson finished second in the ASUN with 31 regular-season goals.
Five Hatters earn academic recognition
Conde, Fontaine, Essengue, Perez and Mello all earned Academic All-ASUN recognition. Undergraduate student-athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50, participate in at least half of their team’s contests and meet academic progress and enrollment requirements. Graduate student-athletes must maintain a cumulative 3.50 GPA and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests.
Stetson scheduled to open ASUN Championship against Bellarmine
Stetson is scheduled to face No. 5 Bellarmine in the ASUN Championship opening round Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The winner is scheduled to meet top-seeded North Florida in the semifinal Nov. 9, with the time to be determined. The ASUN Championship final is scheduled for Nov. 14.
The ASUN Championship winner will receive the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth. Stetson reached the tournament after securing its postseason berth with the 2-2 draw at FGCU. The Hatters’ five postseason honorees will carry their conference, individual and academic recognition into the championship field.
FSB Take
Stetson’s honors reflect contributions across the lineup rather than a single award category. Essengue, Perez and Mello give the Hatters three All-Freshman selections, while Conde and Fontaine add all-conference recognition from the regular-season group that helped produce 31 ASUN goals. With the No. 4 seed and an opening-round match against Bellarmine, the program now has a clear opportunity to turn that balanced recognition into a championship run.
Source: Original report