HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Matching their on-field success with the academics, five members of the Hofstra men’s soccer team were named to the Academic All-District I Team, presented by CoSIDA. Selected to the team from Hofstra were Matthew Vowinkel, George O’Malley, Hendrik Hebbeker, Stefan Mason and Wessel Speel.

The 2021 Academic All-District® Men’s Soccer Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America program separately recognizes soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early December.

Vowinkel, a 2020-21 Academic All-American®, makes his second consecutive all-district appearance. A first-year graduate student, Vowinkel posted a 3.49 grade point average as an undergraduate finance major. On the field, he has seven goals and six assists this season and was a First Team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection at forward.

O’Malley, the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-CAA pick, is now a two-time all-district selection after being named to the team in 2020-21. Hofstra’s senior captain has a 3.66 grade point average as a management major. He has anchored the 13th-ranked Pride’s defensive efforts that has seen Hofstra allow just 10 goals this season and record nine shutouts en route to a 14-1-2 record.

Hebbeker, a senior midfielder, is a first time Academic All-District® selection and is the owner of a 3.97 grade point average as a mathematics major. He has also starred on the field, compiling six goals and nine assists. He leads the team and ranks second in the CAA in helpers and his scoring totals represent career-highs.

Mason, a junior defender, was a Third Team All-CAA selection this season as the team co-captain was a key contributor on the back line and added three goals and four assists. All three of his goals were game-winners. A finance major with a 3.82 grade point average, Mason is a first-time Academic All-District® choice.

Speel also makes his first appearance on the all-district team. The sophomore goalkeeper was a First Team All-CAA pick after posting 14 wins, a 0.57 goals against average, and eight solo shutouts in 2021. He leads the CAA in goals against average, save percentage (.836), and shutouts. In the classroom, Speel has posted a 3.87 goals against average as a finance major.

Hofstra is 15-1-2 in 2021 and ranked 13th in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches.

 

 

NCAA DIVISION I – DISTRICT 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT)

FIRST TEAM

Pos.

Name

School

Yr.

GPA

Major

GK

Wessel Speel

Hofstra University

So.

3.87

Finance

D

Jeremy Haddock

Yale University

Jr.

3.87

Economics

D

Maxwell Kent

Syracuse University

Gr.

3.96/3.96

Public Administration

D

Stefan Mason

Hofstra University

Jr.

3.82

Finance

D

George O’Malley

Hofstra University

Sr.

3.66

Management

D

Justin Scharf

Marist College

Sr.

3.81

Business Administration

M

Cornelius Bencsik

Harvard University

Sr.

3.58

Applied Mathematics

M

Hendrik Hebbeker

Hofstra University

Sr.

3.97

Mathematics

M

Noah Luescher

Binghamton University

Gr.

3.77/4.00

Business Administration (UG) / MBA (G)

M

Derek Waleffe

Brown University

Sr.

4.00

Applied Mathematics

M

Ohad Yahalom

Dartmouth

Sr.

3.87

Economics

F

Paolo Carroll

Yale University

Jr.

3.43

Computer Science / Economics

F

Benjamin Klingen

Northeastern University

Sr.

4.00

Business & Finance

F

Matthew Vowinkel

Hofstra University

Gr.

3.49

Finance

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.