Meli Named Defensive POY / Vikings Place Five on All-MASCAC Team
Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications
SALEM, Mass. – Senior James Meli (D, Dracut, Mass.) was named the 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Defensive Player Of The Year as five Vikings were named to the All-MASCAC Men's Soccer Team in an announcement by the league on Wednesday. Brendan Walsh (D, Westford, Mass.), Vanilton Xavier (F, Brockton, Mass.) an Dylan Senra (D, Dartmouth, Mass.) all earned first team recognition along with Meli while keeper Matt Hauntsman (GK, Milford, N.H.) was named to the all-conference second team.
For the fourth year in a row a Vikings' defender took home the conference's defensive player of the year award. Tri-captain Meli started in all 19 games for Salem State this year. The senior defenseman along with teammates, tri-captain Walsh a two-time all-conference selection, and tri-captain Senra anchored the conference's top ranked defense, allowing only 18 goals and a league-best 0.89 goals against average while helping Salem State record a MASCAC-best nine shutouts this season. Newcomer Xavier was among the top offensive players in the conference in 2023. The forward topped Salem State with 12 goals and an assist for 25 points. He led the MASCAC in goals scored and placed second in points. His five game-winning goals led the conference.
Hauntsman is making his third consecutive appearance on the All-MASCAC Men's Soccer Team, after earning first team recognition in consecutive seasons. The senior recorded the league's top save percentage (.894) and most shutouts (8). He was seconds in wins (8) and goals allowed (12). His .894 save percentage ranked in the top-10 nationally in Division III. Hauntsman's 279 saves and 25 career shutouts rank second all-time in school history while his 31 career wins are third all-time.
Kunphel Sinha of Framingham State was named the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year. Sinha, a junior midfielder from Derjeerling, India, registered seven goals and four assists for 18 points, all in the top five of the league. He also led the Rams to two wins with game-winning goals and was perfect on penalty kick opportunities this season. This is his third time winning MASCAC All-Conference accolades after claiming it in 2021 and 2022.
Nicholas Ribeiro of Bridgewater State and Brody Calvert of Mass. Maritime share 2023 MASCAC Rookie of the Year honors. Ribiero, a freshman midfielder from Bellingham, Mass., was a standout for the regular season champion Bears with a league-leading 10 assists while tallying six goals for 22 points, including four that were game-winners. For the Buccaneers, Calvert, a freshman forward from Windsor, Mass., ended the regular season with 11 goals, second-most in the MASCAC, plus two assists for 24 points, third most in the conference.
After leading his team to the 2023 MASCAC Regular Season and Tournament titles, Brendan Adams of Bridgewater State was voted as the 2023 BSN Sports Men's Soccer Coach of the Year by his peers.
Joining Sinha, Meli, Ribeiro and Calvert on the first team are Filippo Mucci and William Russell of Bridgewater State, Joshua Atemkeng of Fitchburg State, Senra, Xavier and Brendan Walsh of Salem State and Matt Alzamora of Worcester State.
Landing on the 2023 MASCAC Second Team is Hector Bucio and David Nelson of Bridgewater State, Danta Ramadan of Fitchburg State, Lachlan Forgan, Gustav Hemmingsen and Kaio Santos Da Silva of Framingham State, John Burke of Mass. Maritime, Hauntsman of Salem State, Paul Whalley of Westfield State and Brendan Lower and Declan Ryder of Worcester State.