Hestnes, Sergi Named to OCSA All-Ohio Teams

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer saw five student-athletes honored as the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association announced its year-end awards on Monday. Samson Sergi and Simen Hestnes were both named to the All-Ohio Division I Team in addition to earning Academic All-Ohio accolades.

Matt Nance, Tomek Pauer and Cameron Taylor also each earned Academic All-Ohio Honorable Mention honors. XU's five total honorees were the most in the state.

Hestnes and Sergi were two of five individuals selected to both the All-Ohio and Academic All-Ohio squads. Xavier was the only program with multiple players selected to both teams.

Hestnes, one of the top scoring threats in the nation, led Xavier and the BIG EAST with 24 points (8g, 8a) in 19 starts. The Oslo, Norway native was named All-BIG EAST First Team this fall and ranked 28th in the nation in assists and 56th in total points.

In addition to his prowess on the pitch, Hestnes also carries a 3.62 GPA as a finance major.

Another one of Xavier's top offensive weapons, Sergi ranked second in the BIG EAST with nine goals in 2018 en route to All-BIG EAST Second Team honors. The forward from Ashburn, Va. also carries a 3.82 GPA as a marketing major.

Nance, a defender from Washington, Mich, played in 16 matches and added seven points while playing a key leadership and defensive role. The graduate student carries a 3.5 GPA as a business major.

Pauer integrated well in his one season as a graduate transfer from Germany, earning a 3.89 GPA in the sports management program.

Taylor, one of the top defenders in the country, added another honor in a season cut short by injury. Taylor has a 3.9 GPA in the sport management program.

The Musketeers finished the season 6-7-6 overall, falling in penalty kicks in the BIG EAST Championships quarterfinal at Marquette. XU was 4-4-1 in league play and made the playoffs for a sixth straight season.

XU has never missed the six-team field or finished under .500 in conference since joining the BIG EAST for the 2013 season.

AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last eight seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for five consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last six years by the United Soccer Coaches. The Musketeers have been nationally-ranked in at least one major college soccer poll (United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, College Soccer News, Soccer America) in every season since 2011.
• In 2015, XU knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.
• Four XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last seven years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.

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Players Mentioned

Simen Hestnes

Matt Nance

Tomek Pauer

Samson Sergi

Cameron Taylor

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Xavier University Athletics