This year, seven Hotchkiss soccer alums competed in the NCAA D1 and D3 men’s soccer tournaments, showcasing their talent and hard work at the collegiate level.
The D1 tournament is a single-elimination tournament consisting of the top 48 programs in the country. The tournament kicked off on November 21, and the champions will be crowned on December 16. The D3 tournament, also single elimination, boasts 64 teams. It ran from November 15 to December 7.
Max Jennings ’21, a defender and captain, led the Georgetown Hoyas to an 11-5-5 record this season and to the team’s sixth BIG EAST championship in program history. The tournament ended in a 2-1 victory over second-seeded Providence College.
Jennings said, “Winning the championship was one of the highlights of my college soccer experience because of the adversity we had to go through. We were only the fourth seed heading into the playoffs, meaning it was a really hard path to the championship.” This record and win earned the Hoyas an automatic spot in the second round of the NCAA D1 tournament. However, the Hoyas lost in the second round to NC State.
Boys Varsity Soccer Head Coach Mr. Mario Williams ’12, who served as an assistant coach during Jennings’ time at Hotchkiss, said, “Max is hands down one of the most complete and professionally-minded soccer players I have had the opportunity to work with. His athleticism, discipline, and drive to improve were unparalleled.” Earlier this year, Jennings was drafted by Real Salt Lake, a pro soccer club in Major League Soccer.
Michael Leon ’21, a senior at the University of Michigan, was awarded the Academic All-Big Ten prize during his sophomore and junior years and the Michigan “Lets Go Do” award twice for his positive impact through community engagement. As part of the work that earned him the latter prize, Leon has provided many soccer uniforms to his hometown team in Ghana.
Leon said, “My sophomore year, I struggled with injury and found myself through giving back. Soccer is my passion, but my real purpose is to use it to inspire others.” Coach Williams said, “Leon was a force to be reckoned with on the field and also the type of guy that every coach would love to have led their locker room—focused, cheerful, inspiring, and resilient.”
This season, Michigan went 9-5-7 and beat Robert Morris 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA D1 tournament. The team advanced to the second round and faced off against Dayton, a top-ranked team, losing 2-0.
Asa Tuke ’21, a captain at Washington & Lee University, played a key role in guiding the team to a 15- 3-6 record this season. After three straight wins in the initial rounds of the NCAA D3 tournament and a 3-2 win over Dickinson in the quarterfinals, Wash & Lee faced Connecticut College in the semifinals on December 5, and was defeated 1-0.
Tuke has had a successful career at both Hotchkiss and Washington & Lee University, winning awards at both levels. At Hotchkiss, he won the Albert William Olson ’13 Award. At Wash & Lee, Tuke has earned the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District twice and the ODAC All-Academic Team three times.
Coach Williams said, “Asa is one of the best captains to have ever led the Hotchkiss soccer program. Asa is the heart and soul of any program he is part of. His exceptional character and thoughtful actions made him the quintessential role model for his teammates.”
Anish Reid ’23, a member of the Connecticut College soccer team, matched up against Tuke and Wash & Lee on December 5, winning 1-0. This semifinal win secured them a spot in the D3 championship, which was held against Amherst on December 7. The game went to penalty kicks, where Conn College lost and ended their season as the D3 runner-up.
As a supporting player for the Conn College Camels, Reid assisted in their 13-2-7 record, including in dominant wins over Suffolk and Franklin & Marshall in their first two wins of the tournament. Although wins over Kenyon and Denison in the third round and quarterfinals were close, the team advanced to the final.
Coach Williams said, “Anish possessed a level of self-belief that is crucial for every aspiring student-athlete. He was a tough fighter, and his teammates deeply valued the grit and bravery that he brought to the field when he played.”
Mo Nuhu ’23 followed up his freshman season, during which he won NESCAC Rookie of the Year, with another successful season. Nuhu plays a large role as an attacker for the Amherst Mammoths, currently with a 14-2-4 record. Nuhu started in all 19 games in which he played this season, finishing with ten goals and eight assists.
The Mammoths won their first four matches of the NCAA D3 tournament, and went up against Middlebury in the Semifinals on December 5. Nuhu contributed a goal in the 2-1 win over Middlebury, meaning he scored or assisted in four of their six playoff games.
Amherst faced Connecticut College in the D3 championship on December 7, where they won in PKs, with Nuhu scoring the opening PK for Amherst. With this win, Amherst was announced as the D3 National Champions.
Coach Williams said, “Mo left a legacy at Hotchkiss that highlights what is possible when we challenge ourselves to play at the upper limit of our capabilities. He always asked, ‘What more can we do?’”
Two members of the class of 2024 are currently participating in D3 collegiate soccer: Ben Brown ’24 and Lawrence Taylor ’24.
Despite only being a freshman, Brown played a large role on the Williams College team, aiding it to a 12-4-4 record. He started 17 of 20 games and scored two goals and one assist on the season. Williams College won 3-1 against Manhattanville in the first round and beat Messiah 1-0 in the second.
However, Williams lost to Washington & Lee University in the third round. Brown started all three games.
Brown started his Hotchkiss career as a right winger but switched to midfielder after improving his technical ability. Coach Williams said, “By his senior year, Ben had wholly reinvented himself as one of the NEPSAC’s most effective ball-winners in the heart of midfield, with a physical motor that was seemingly tireless. This type of growth does not occur without a level of intensity, mental toughness, and dedication that is certainly uncommon and special.”
Lawrence Taylor ’24 also played a large role for Kenyon College. Kenyon finished with a 13-3-5 record, with Taylor starting in over half of the games, recording three goals and two assists.
Kenyon won its first two games of the tournament but was knocked out by Connecticut College in the third round.
When asked about his adjustment to collegiate soccer as a freshman, Taylor said, “I’ve been good at time-management, which has helped me a lot in facing the academic challenges. On the field, I’ve adapted well to surprises, such as when I was told by the coach I would be playing some minutes as a striker.”
Coach Williams said, “Lawrence was a dynamic player who exuded joy on the field, and who motivated those around him to work harder. He led by example, with a humility and openness to learning and change that earned him the respect of his peers.”
