Thiaw Named OCCAC Men's Soccer MVP, All-Conference Team Announced

By Nicholas Huenefeld/OCCAC Sports Information

Mohamed Thiaw was named the 2015 OCCAC men's soccer MVP as postseason awards and the all-conference team were announced today.

Thiaw led the league in scoring with nine goals and six assists in conference play. He had three two-goal games in conference play, including one apiece against Lakeland on Sept. 20, Owens on Sept. 30 and Lakeland against on Oct. 3. He added one goal apiece in his team's other three conference games. He produced a season-high three assists against Lakeland on Oct. 3, as well.

Furthermore, Thiaw has 25 goals and 11 assists this year despite missing his team's past four matches. That is good for a fourth place tie nationally in goals scored and the fourth most overall points in the nation.

Thiaw led Cincinnati State to a conference championship with a 5-1 record. Overall, the team finished 12-3-3.

Aside from Thiaw, his head coach Mike Combs won the OCCAC Coach of the Year award, while Thiaw also won the OCCAC Offensive Player of the Year award.

Lakeland Community College's Alassane Diop won the OCCAC Defensive Player of the Year award, while his teammate George Toe shared the OCCAC Midfielder of the Year award with Matt Almester of Owens Community College.

Almester finished second behind Thiaw in the conference with eight goals and three assists. Toe had two goals and one assist in conference play, while Diop didn't have any points in conference play.

All-OCCAC

Cincinnati State led all teams in the conference with five players being named First Team All-OCCAC, including Thiaw, goalkeeper Jake Mutlu, Hall Banks, Javier Wallace and Logan Bartsch. For Owens, Almester, Maxwell Ejiogu and Trae Green earned First Team honors, while Cuyahoga's John Paul Duff and Aaron Mohr were also named First Team. Diop was his team's lone First Team selection.

Earning Second Team All-OCCAC honors were Noah Kiser and Jose Corona of Cincinnati State, Reiss Liggitt and Hector Aguirre Jr. of Owens, Jacob Marianut and Kevaughan Blake of Cuyahoga, as well as Toe and Khadim Mbaye of Lakeland.