Salem State’s Xavier Named 2024 MASCAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, Fitchburg State’s Foster Defensive Player of the Year, Headline 2024 MASCAC Men’s Soccer All-Conference Team
Vanilton Xavier of Salem State and Zachariah Foster of Fitchburg State are named the MASCAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. The duo headlines the 2024 All-Conference team as voted on by the coaches from around the conference.
November 13, 2024
Westfield, Mass. — Vanilton Xavier of Salem State and Zachariah Foster of Fitchburg State are named the MASCAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. The duo headlines the 2024 All-Conference team as voted on by the coaches from around the conference.
Xavier, a forward from Brockton, Mass., earned MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year after collecting seven goals and four assists for 18 points for the Vikings which included two game-winners over his 15 games played. Three times this season he has finished a game with four points, including in the wins over Framingham State and Mass. Maritime.
Foster, a junior from Brockton, Mass., was named the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year. Foster helped Fitchburg State keep teams to just 1.75 goals against and just 14 shots per game. He had his highest offensive production this year, with six goals and one assist, including a game-winner along with going a perfect 5-for-5 in penalty kicks.
Earning this year’s MASCAC Rookie of the Year is Justin Job of Fitchburg State. The freshman from Worcester, Mass. along with Foster helped the Falcons to the third seed in the conference tournament. The midfielder tallied five goals and two assists for 12 points, including three game-winning tallies. Twice this season he scored two goals, including the 3-1 win over Westfield State.
After leading his team to the 2024 MASCAC Regular Season title and top seed in the tournament, Brendan Adams of Bridgewater State repeated as the 2024 BSN Sports Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year by his peers.
Joining Xavier, Foster and Job on the first team are Hector Bucio, Tyler Chang, Gavin Norton and Nicholas Ribeiro of Bridgewater State, Brody Calvert of Mass. Maritime, Stephane Fevry and James Meli of Salem State, Luke Theroux of Westfield State and Mal Hawkins of Worcester State.
Landing on the 2024 MASCAC Second Team is Lukas Ekmanis, Nicolas Matias and Filippo Mucci of Bridgewater State, Anthony Oliveira-Dalicandro and Joao Pedro Goncalves of Fitchburg State, Kaio Santos Da Silva of Framingham State, Traizen Griffith and Michael Smith of MCLA, Ethan Somers of Mass. Maritime, Charlie Anischik and Sonny Mazza of Westfield State.
2024 MASCAC MEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Player/Institution Class Position Hometown
Tyler Chang, Bridgewater State Sophomore Midfield Acushnet, Mass.
Nicholas Ribeiro, Bridgewater State Sophomore Midfield Bellingham, Mass.
Justin Job, Fitchburg State Freshman Midfield Worcester, Mass.
Stephane Fevry, Salem State Freshman Midfield Haverhill, Mass.
Brody Calvert, Mass. Maritime Sophomore Forward Windsor, Mass.
Vanilton Xavier, Salem State Senior Forward Brockton, Mass.
Mal Hawkins, Worcester State Senior Forward View Park, Calif.
Hector Bucio, Bridgewater State Sophomore Defense N. Easton, Mass.
Gavin Norton, Bridgewater State Junior Defense Rockland, Mass.
Zachariah Foster, Fitchburg State Junior Defense Brockton, Mass.
James Meli, Salem State Senior Defense Dracut, Mass.
Luke Theroux, Westfield State Sophomore Goalie Chicopee, Mass.
SECOND TEAM
Player/Institution Class Position Hometown
Nicolas Matias, Bridgewater State Senior Midfield Framingham, Mass.
Kaio Santos Da Silva, Framingham State Sophomore Midfield Cuparaque, Brazil
Traizen Griffith, MCLA Sophomore Midfield Enfield, Conn.
Sonny Mazza, Westfield State Junior Midfield E. Longmeadow, Mass.
Filippo Mucci, Bridgewater State Junior Forward Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Anthony Oliveira-Dalicandro, Fitchburg State Sophomore Forward Waltham, Mass.
Joao Pedro Goncalves, Fitchburg State Freshman Defense Hyannis, Mass.
Michael Smith, MCLA Sophomore Defense Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Ethan Somers, Mass. Maritime Senior Defense Dorchester, Mass.
Charlie Anischik, Westfield State Sophomore Defense S. Hadley, Mass.
Lukas Ekmanis, Bridgewater State Senior Goalie Baxter, Tenn.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Vanilton Xavier, Salem State Senior Forward Brockton, Mass.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zachariah Foster, Fitchburg State Junior Defense Brockton, Mass.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Justin Job, Fitchburg State Freshman Midfield Worcester, Mass.
BSN SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR
Brendan Adams, Bridgewater State