2016 Men's Soccer Season Review

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 2016 season was another successful campaign for the University of Louisville men's soccer team, which advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in the last seven seasons and was ranked No. 6 in the final NSCAA Top 25. The Cardinals were 14-6-2 overall and finished second in the ACC Atlantic with a 5-2-1 conference mark.

The 14 wins for UofL were the third most in school history equaling the totals of the 2011 and 2012 teams, which also advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. The Cardinals were 10-3-1 at home and are 23-9-6 all-time at Lynn Stadium, which hosted an NCAA quarterfinal for the first time.

Junior Mohamed Thiaw led Louisville with 12 goals, tied for the fourth highest total in a season in school history. Junior Tim Kubel matched a single season school record with his team-leading 11 assists, while the 10 shutouts for graduate goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland were the most in a season since Andre Boudreaux had 11 in 2011.

LOUISVILLE NOTES AND TRENDS...
   • The Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Championship for the ninth time in 11 seasons under head coach Ken Lolla.
   • Tim Kubel leads the Cardinals with 15 career goals, while Tate Schmitt (12) and Mohamed Thiaw (12) are next.
   • The 12 goals for Thiaw were the most for a Louisville player since Simon Bird's 12 goals in 2003..
   • Kubel matched a school record for single season assists (11) equaling the total of Stuart Langrish in 2000. Kubel is also tied for fifth in career assists (19).
   • UofL is 10-6-1 all-time at Lynn Stadium versus ranked foes.
   • Kubel and Johnson were named to the 2016 ACC Championship All-Tournament Team.
   • Louisville's 38 goals in 2016 were the most in a single season since finishing with 39 goals in 2012.

KUBEL HONORED AS NSCAA SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Tim Kubel added another honor to his resume on December 9 when he was named Second Team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. It was the first career All-America honor for Kubel.

A 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, Kubel matched the single season school record and ranked fifth nationally with 11 assists and scored three goals while starting all 22 matches at right back this season for the Cardinals, who advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in seven years. A three-time All-ACC selection, including a First Team honoree in each of the last two seasons, Kubel was named to the ACC Championship All-Tournament team after scoring a pair of goals in Louisville's two tournament matches.

Kubel, who set a school record for assists in a single match with four against Virginia earlier this season, has 15 career collegiate goals and 19 total assists while starting all 63 matches during this three years at Louisville. A team captain, this former ACC Freshman of the Year honoree is also a two-time All-ACC Academic Team selection.

LOUISVILLE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Louisville closed the 2016 season ranked No. 6 in the final NSCAA Top 25 released on December 13. Ranked in the NSCAA poll since Sept. 20 when they debuted at No. 13, Louisville's highest ranking in the coaches poll this season was No. 4 on Oct. 11. Along with the final ranking in the coaches poll, Louisville also closed the season ranked No. 6 by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 7 by Hero College Sports.

CARDINALS EARN TOP 16 SEED FOR FIFTH TIME
Louisville earned a top 16 seed in the NCAA Championship for the fifth time in school history landing at No. 4, the second highest seed ever. UofL was seeded No. 1 in 2010 when they advanced to the College Cup final. The Cardinals were No. 13 in 2014, No. 10 in 2012 and No. 12 in 2011. Louisville has advanced to at least the third round each time they have earned a top 16 seed.

LOUISVILLE EIGHTH IN SEASON'S FINAL NCAA RPI
In the final men's soccer RPI released after the completion of the NCAA Championship, the Cardinals were No. 8 overall and among nine ACC schools in the top 19. Clemson was No. 1 and was followed by No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 8 Louisville, No. 10 Syracuse, No. 11 Virginia Tech, No. 13 Notre Dame, No. 18 Boston College and No. 19 Virginia.

ACC SETS NCAA RECORD WITH NINE TEAMS EARNING CHAMPIONSHIP BIDS
The Cardinals were among an NCAA record nine Atlantic Coast Conference schools receiving bids to the 48-team NCAA Championship field. While nine of the league's 12 men's soccer programs earned an NCAA berth, seven of those were among the top 16 seeds, including three of the top four. Wake Forest was seeded No. 2 and followed by No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 Louisville, No. 8 Syracuse, No. 9 North Carolina, No. 12 Virginia and No. 13 Notre Dame. Boston College and Virginia Tech also earned NCAA Championship bids for the ACC.

KUBEL NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR HERMANN TROPHY
Tim Kubel was named on Nov. 29 among 15 semifinalists for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy, the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer. The announcement was made by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America with the semifinalists chosen based on voting by NCAA Division I soccer coaches. The 2016 recognition for Kubel marks the fourth time a Louisville player has been named as a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy and the first since Andrew Farrell in 2012. Colin Rolfe was the first Cardinal to be selected as a semifinalist receiving the recognition on two occasions in 2009 and 2010.

NSCAA NAMES KUBEL TO SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Following the season, Tim Kubel was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division I Scholar All-America First Team. Selected as a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and a NSCAA All-American for his production on the pitch, Kubel added to his career profile accumulating a 3.70 GPA while majoring in finance. While in uniform, Kubel ranked fifth nationally with 11 assists and scored three goals while starting all 22 matches at right back this season for the Cardinals.

CLEVELAND NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN
Graduate goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland was named on Nov. 22 to the 2016 Academic All-America Division I men's soccer team by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A second team Academic All-America selection, Cleveland is pursuing an MBA at Louisville after completing his degree in engineering with a 3.72 GPA at Dartmouth College, where he played three seasons prior to joining the Cardinals for the 2016 season. Cleveland became the second UofL player in the last three seasons to earn Academic All-America accolades joining Joachim Ball, who was a second team selection in 2014.

KUBEL, THIAW SELECTED TO TOP DRAWER SOCCER BEST XI TEAMS
Tim Kubel and Mohamed Thiaw were named to the Top Drawer Soccer Best XI teams. Kubel earned first team recognition, while Thiaw was a second team honoree. Kubel closed his junior season ranked fifth nationally and matched the single season school record with 11 assists to go with three goals while starting all 22 matches at right back for the Cardinals. In his first season playing for the Cardinals, Thiaw (Lexington, Kentucky) ranked second nationally with seven game-winning goals and was in the top 15 in the NCAA with 12 total goals, the fourth highest single season total in school history. A transfer from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Thiaw started all 22 matches this season at forward and scored six of his 12 goals in Louisville's eight ACC regular season matches.

KUBEL, THIAW RECEIVE NSCAA ALL-REGION HONORS
Tim Kubel and Mohamed Thiaw were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-South Region teams. Kubel earned first team recognition, while Thiaw was a second team honoree. Kubel closed his junior season ranked fifth nationally and matched the single season school record with 11 assists to go with three goals while starting all 22 matches at right back for the Cardinals. In his first season playing for the Cardinals, Thiaw (Lexington, Kentucky) ranked second nationally with seven game-winning goals and was in the top 15 in the NCAA with 12 total goals, the fourth highest single season total in school history. A transfer from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Thiaw started all 22 matches this season at forward and scored six of his 12 goals in Louisville's eight ACC regular season matches.

LOUISVILLE AMONG THE NATION'S BEST IN TEAM, INDIVIDUAL NCAA STAT RANKINGS
Louisville closed the season ranked in the top 35 in eight different team statistical categories. The Cardinals were No. 15 in goals against average (0.71), 16th in total goals (38), 19th in total points (109), 23rd in total assists (33), 24th in shutout percentage (0.45), 30th in scoring offense (1.71 goals per game), 31st in shots on goal per game (6.14) and 32nd in points per game (5.19).

Individually, three Cardinals emerged to rank among the best in the NCAA and the ACC -- junior forward Mohamed Thiaw, junior defender Tim Kubel and graduate goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland. Thiaw was ranked No. 2 in the nation with seven game-winning goals and No. 14 in the NCAA and second in the ACC in goals (12).

Kubel, who set a school record with four assists in the 6-1 win over Virginia on Sept. 24, was fifth in the NCAA and first in the ACC with 11 assists while ranking 12th nationally and first in the ACC in assists per game (0.50). Cleveland was No. 14 in the nation and No. 4 in the ACC in goals against average (0.710).

KUBEL, THIAW EARN ALL-ACC FIRST TEAM HONORS; DEE, JOHNSON ON THIRD TEAM
Tim Kubel and Mohamed Thiaw were named All-ACC First Team honorees on November 8, while junior midfielder Geoffrey Dee and senior midfielder Daniel Johnson were honored as Third Team selections by the league's head coaches. The 2016 accolades mark the second time in three seasons four Louisville players have received All-ACC recognition matching the total in 2014 and it is the third straight season multiple Cardinals have earned All-ACC honors.

Kubel, tabbed as an All-ACC First Team honoree for the second straight season while becoming a three-time All-ACC selection overall, leads the ACC and ranks in the top five nationally in assists. Earlier this season, Kubel set a school record with four assists in a 6-1 win over Virginia.

In his first season with the Cardinals, Thiaw emerged as one of the nation's elite scorers ranking in the top 20 in the NCAA in goals and ranking second in the NCAA with seven game-winners. A transfer from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Thiaw started all 22 matches at forward while scoring six of his 11 goals in the eight ACC regular season matches.

Dee, is in his first season with the Cardinals after transferring from Tulsa, connected for two goals and contributed four assists while starting 21 matches in 2016. Each of the four assists for Dee were delivered against ACC foes, while his lone game-winning goal came on Sept. 13 in the victory against Xavier.

Johnson earned All-ACC recognition for the second consecutive season after receiving Second Team honors in 2015. Johnson scored a pair of goals and added three assists in 22 starts for the Cardinals. In his two seasons with the Louisville after transferring from Maryland, Johnson accumulated seven goals in 41 starts.

TWELVE OF LOUISVILLE'S 22 MATCHES IN 2016 AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Louisville's NCAA quarterfinal match against No. 5 Stanford marked the 12th contest in 22 total games this season the Cardinals faced a nationally ranked opponent. Louisville was 6-6-0 in the 12 matches against ranked foes with two home wins over Notre Dame (No. 1 and No. 13), a home win over No. 3 Syracuse and twice at home against Virginia (No. 16 and No. 17) and a road win at No. 14 UConn.

CARDINALS PLAY THREE STRAIGHT TOP 10 FOES FOR JUST THE SECOND TIME EVER
Louisville's stretch of matches against No. 3 Syracuse (Oct. 7), No. 9 Indiana (Oct. 11) and at No. 7 Wake Forest (Oct. 15) marked just the second time in school history and the first time in the regular season the Cardinals played three straight matches against top 10 ranked foes. The only previous stretch came in 2010 when the Cardinals played No. 8 UCLA, No. 4 UNC and No. 2 Akron en route to the runner-up finish in the College Cup. Louisville defeated the Bruins 5-4 in an Elite Eight match at Cardinal Park and knocked off the Tar Heels 2-1 in the national semifinals before falling to the Zips in the NCAA title match.

JOHNSON NAMED CANDIDATE FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Midfielder Daniel Johnson was named Oct. 7 among 30 candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate men's soccer. To be eligible for the award, which represents excellence both on and off the field, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The candidates were narrowed to 10 finalists and Johnson was not among that final group. The Senior CLASS Award winners were announced during the 2016 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December. For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

CLEVELAND, THIAW TWICE EARN ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Graduate goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland and junior forward Mohamed Thiaw have twice earned ACC weekly honors this season with each of those honors coming in the same weeks. Cleveland was named ACC Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on September 20 and was Co-Defensive Player of the Week on October 11, while Thiaw was chosen as the Co-Offensive Player of the Week on both September 20 and October 11.

FROM LOUISVILLE TO MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER: CARDINALS IN THE MLS SUPERDRAFT
With head coach Ken Lolla at the helm at the University of Louisville, the Cardinals have been very successful in sending players into professional soccer and specifically Major League Soccer. Including the 2012 draft, Louisville has produced five first round selections in the MLS SuperDraft, including Andrew Farrell as the No. 1 overall pick in 2013. The Cardinals have also had two or more selections in the first two rounds of the SuperDraft four times highlighted by a school record four selections in 2012. Overall, 13 players from the University of Louisville have been chosen in the MLS SuperDraft since 2012.

FOLLOWING LOUISVILLE MEN'S SOCCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville men's soccer on Twitter (@UofLmenssoccer) at http://twitter.com/uoflmenssoccer and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UofLmenssoccer.

University of Louisville Athletics

Players Mentioned

Stefan Cleveland

Geoffrey Dee

Daniel Johnson

Tim Kubel

Tate Schmitt

Mohamed Thiaw

Related Videos