Westfield, Mass. —  Kunphel Sinha of Framingham State and James Meli of Salem State are named the MASCAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. The duo headlines the 2023 All-Conference team as voted on by the coaches from around the conference.

 

Sinha, a junior midfielder from Derjeerling, India, earns the 2023 MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year after registering 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.

 

Meli, a senior defender from Dracut, Mass., takes home the 2023 MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Vikings only allow 18 goals and a 0.89 goals against average with 12 wins, including eight shutouts. Besides his major award, Meli grabs a spot on the All-Conference First Team for the first time.   

 

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, Dylan Senra, Vanilton 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, Matt Hauntsman of Salem State, Paul Whalley of Westfield State and Brendan Lower and Declan Ryder of Worcester State.