Tag: Soccer

Akot Named NJCAA Region 16 Player of the Year

November 3, 2021 | Athletics Campus News

East Central College sophomore Stephen Akot was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Region (NJCAA) Region 16 DII Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.

The award goes to the player receiving the most votes from the region coaches at the conclusion of the regular season.

Akot, a native of Dronten, Netherlands, is in his third season at ECC. Akot elected to stay one more semester before graduating this December because last year’s COVID-19 impacted season didn’t count against his eligibility, according to Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, ECC Athletic Director.

“His first sophomore year was hampered by an ankle injury and he felt he needed to stay at ECC to prove himself,” he said.

Akot has been a model student in the classroom, student worker and athlete during his tenure as a Falcon.

“He will be graduating with an associate degree and plans to either return to the Netherlands or find a job anywhere in the world,” Mehrhoff added. “He loves his home country, but Stephen is up to exploring more opportunities before he officially has to become an adult with a job.”

On top of his great digital social media work for the soccer team, he has his own fashion line called “Merch,” specializing in casual wear with a design flare as he makes specialty T-shirts and hoodies.

A very talented person, Akot hopes to combine his passions into a future profession in business and fashion.

Akot’s 15 goals this season tie him for No 11 all-time with former teammate Arman Kovac (2019) and NJCAA 2nd Team All-American Jacob Moore (2015.)

Also, Akot’s 21 career goals tie him for ninth all-time in goals scored for a career in the ECC soccer record books.

In 2019, he scored 6 Goals and had 2 assists for a total of 14 points. In 2020, he had 1 goal and no assists for a total of 2 points.

This year, Akot had 15 Goals and 5 assists for a total of 35 points.

Photo by Bill Battle, The Missourian

High Honors for Top Men’s Soccer Falcons

June 28, 2021 | Campus News

Three East Central College men’s soccer players were recognized with “high honors” following the 2020-21 season.

ECC Athletic Director Dr. Jay Mehrhoff noted that the Falcons finished the season 8-4 and ended the season ranked No. 16 in the final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DII Men’s Soccer poll.

“Despite a postponed and shortened season, excitement was proven by hard work and determination by some of the top players on the team,” he said. “Several Falcons were recognized with high-level postseason honors.”

Joseph McInnes, Airdrie, Scotland, was named to the NJCAA DII Men’s Soccer All-American Second Team for the 2020-21 season. He led the Falcons in scoring with 10 goals and five assists.

“His offensive output and tenacity in attacking the opposition’s goal helped garner the honors, with support from a skilled cast of teammates,” Mehrhoff added.

Diego Navia, a sophomore transfer from Lincoln College and hailing from Guayaquil, Ecuador, was named to the United Soccer Coaches, Scholar All-American team.

In addition, Navia and fellow sophomore teammate Guy Baskerville, London, England, were recognized with United Soccer Coaches Distinction Award Players for Junior College in 2020-21.

Photo Credits:

Diego Navia and Joe McInnes – Farhatt Photography

Guy Baskerville – ECC Athletics

David Beck Named New Soccer Head Coach

January 22, 2019 | Athletics Campus News

David Beck will be stepping into the role as head coach of the East Central College Men’s Soccer program for the 2019 season. Beck previously spent the last nine years as the assistant soccer coach for Rutgers University in New Jersey.

“Beck is known for his recruiting abilities,” said Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, East Central College Athletic Director. “He assisted Rutgers head coach Dan Donigan in constructing a very successful team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Division I tournament in 2015. That same year, the team collected the second most wins in program history.”

In 2011, Beck was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Assistant Coach of the Year for the Northeast Region. Beck also served as head coach of the U. S Soccer Development Academy.

“Coach Beck is dedicated to the sport,” said Dr. Mehrhoff. “He spends his summers working NCAA Division I camps all over the country: including the University of Connecticut, Akron University, University of Wisconsin, Saint Louis University, Rutgers and Missouri State University.”

Prior to his coaching at Rutgers, Beck spent four seasons at Saint Louis University and helped produce consecutive top 20 recruiting classes. He also served as an assistant coach at Lindenwood University during their 2004 NAIA National Championship season.

A native of St. Louis, Beck played high school soccer at Hazelwood East prior to entering college. He played two years at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley under NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Pete Sorber. After his junior college career, he continued playing for Lindenwood University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. He went on to play for the St. Louis Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL).

Beck lives in Fenton with his wife Laura and their three children, Gabriella, Brooklyn and Joey.

Student Named National Finalist for Scholar-Athlete Award

May 7, 2018 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

The National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) has announced the finalists for the 27th Annual NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Awards sponsored by Relation Insurance Services.

East Central College is proud to announce Magnus Andersen made the list!

“Magnus is an outstanding soccer player and an outstanding student,” said East Central College Athletic Director Jay Mehrhoff. “He was one of only seven male scholar-athletes chosen as a finalist across the entire country.”

To be eligible, nominees must meet the following criteria: minimum 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale with a minimum of 36 semester hours or 45 quarter hours with a minimum of 24 semester/36 quarter hours at the nominating institution; participation in a minimum of one complete season of varsity competition at the nominating institution; outstanding athletics success; and outstanding qualities of leadership and citizenship.

The male and female Scholar-Athlete Award winners will be formally recognized at NATYCAA’s Annual Convention, which will take place June 27-29 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The NATYCAA is the professional organization of two-year college athletics administrators and membership is open to all two-year institutions throughout the country. It is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

#InspiringExcellence – Students Named All-American Athletes for 2016!

December 5, 2016 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Two East Central College students can now say they are All-American athletes! Sophomore midfielder Jacob Moore was named to the NJCAA Division I Men’s Soccer All-American Second Team for the 2016 season, and sophomore setter Mackenzy Vedder was named an NJCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Honorable Mention All-American.

Moore has been a catalyst to the Falcons’ success on the pitch for the past two years. During his tenure, the East Central College soccer team put together an impressive record of 26-9-2.

Individually, Moore became one of the all-time leaders in the ECC Soccer record books. He is tied for first on the all-time assist record with 24 in two years. As a goal scorer, he ranks third all-time with 32 total goals. During his sophomore campaign, with five fewer games on the season, he collected 17 goals and 10 assists. It topped his 2015 freshman season with 15 goals and 14 assists.

Additionally, Moore was named First Team All-Conference in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference and First Team All-Region in 2016. During his freshman year, he collected Second Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region honors. The Falcons finished 16-4-1 during his freshman year and were Region 16 runners-up for the second year in a row.

As Moore’s two years come to a close at East Central College, he plans on playing two more years of college soccer at a top level university. Currently, he is looking at Dayton University in the Atlantic 10 Conference to pursue his academic and athletic career goals.

Meanwhile, Vedder has been the assist provider for two winning seasons in a row for the Falcons. While captaining the ECC squad, the Falcons put together a 44-34 record in two seasons combined with help from Vedder.

As a setter, Vedder’s primary responsibility has been to set the offense into motion. Her single season assist total this fall at 984 ranks her fourth overall in the ECC record books. The two years she has spent at East Central College has put her third all-time in assists for a career with 1,906. During her freshman year, Vedder was named Second Team All-Region, but as a sophomore, she received First Team All-Region and First Team All-Conference honors. The Falcons finished the 2016 campaign as NJCAA Region 16 runner-ups to MCC-Longview.

Vedder plans on transferring to Missouri S & T to complete her degree in engineering. She also hopes to continue playing the sport she loves at the four year level, but studying comes first as she prioritizes her future plans.