Four Florida Tech Panthers Represent On All-Sunshine State Conference Squads
By Florida Tech // November 6, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Despite a tough end to the season earlier in the week, the Florida Tech men’s soccer program received some positive news on Thursday as four Panthers were recognized by the Sunshine State Conference.
Trey Collins, Adin Kavara and Sam Sawyer landed first-team all-conference honors, while goalkeeper Mitch Thorn earned a second-team selection.
Collins, a local product by way of Melbourne High School, made 14 starts in his final season in Crimson and Gray. The midfielder tied a team-high in both goals (8) and assists (5), ranking among the top-10 in the SSC in each category.
Trey Collins logged at least two points in a game seven times, including a season-high five-point performance in the Panthers’ 4-0 victory over Nova Southeastern on Oct. 14. Most recently, the graduate student was also named CoSida Academic All-District.
One of four players in the league to repeat as a first-team selection, Kavara matched Collins with eight goals, even after missing three games in 2015 due to injury.
The Oslo, Norway native chipped in with three assists, good enough for third on the team, and converted four game-winners on an offense that averaged exactly two goals per game.
Sam Sawyer, a junior, was a staple on a Panthers’ backline in 2015. The defender started all 12 matches in which he appeared, and notched the golden goal in the 100th minute of Florida Tech’s 3-2 overtime win over SSC regular season champion Saint Leo. The second-team recognition is his second in as many seasons.
A three-year starter in net for the Panthers, Thorn earned his second career all-conference honor after finishing second in the league in goals against average (1.38).
In 13 starts during his senior year, the Aussie tallied 42 saves en route to three shutouts.
Lynn’s Chris Hellman was awarded SSC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Since the Offensive Player of the Year award was reinstated in 2001, Hellman is just the second student-athlete to win both awards multiple times.
Eckerd’s Alex Gott was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year, while Saint Leo’s Keith Fulk was selected Coach of the Year by his peers.
Florida Tech finished the season with a record of 7-6-2.
