Men's Soccer 11/12/2020 11:30:00 AM

Men’s Soccer Sweeps Sun Belt Conference Top Honors

ATLANTA – Georgia State men's soccer took home the top three honors on Thursday as the Sun Belt Conference announced the league's postseason awards.

Senior George Proctor has been named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, along with the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Fellow senior Aris Briggs garnered Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year recognition for a second-straight season.

Proctor and Briggs, along with senior Paul Tyson, junior Matthew Fearnley, and sophomores Ross Finnie and Ramon Munoz all earned All-Sun Belt recognition as well.

"Excited for the guys to be acknowledged for their efforts throughout the season," head coach Brett Surrency said. "It's a great honor to be All-Conference and fun to see hard work rewarded with some notoriety."

George Proctor – Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Sun Belt
Proctor led the Georgia State backline allowing just six goals in 11 matches this season, including six clean sheets, while scoring a pair of goals and adding two assists this year. He stands fourth on the team with six points. The senior earned Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors three times this year, including the final two weeks of the season, keying the Panthers to a pair of crucial victories in the final two matches. He currently sits tied for 13^th in the country in total assists (top 5 in the Sun Belt) and tied for 18^th in the nation in goals (top 10 in the league). He is also in the top 25 nationally in points and in the top 10 in the Sun Belt Conference in that category. He was named honorable mention to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team on the Week on Oct. 7, and Nov. 9, and also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week on Nov. 2, and Nov. 11.

Aris Briggs – Offensive Player of the Year, All-Sun Belt
The defending 2019 Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and 2020 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Briggs continued right where he left off in 2019. He currently stands second in the nation in goals (5) and leads the NCAA with 13 points. The senior is also tied for fourth in the nation in total assists, while sharing the Sun Belt Conference lead. Briggs has twice been named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week this season, while also being honored twice on the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week and College Soccer News Team of the Week. He has anchored a frontline that leads the NCAA in total goals and total points.

Ross Finnie - All-Sun Belt
After earning All-Sun Belt First Team honors last year, Finnie did it again this year while scoring a goal and adding two assists for a Panther offense that leads the nation in scoring. He was named to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team and has continued on his path following a successful freshman campaign. He enters the postseason among the top 15 in the nation in assists and in the top 10 in the Sun Belt Conference.

Matthew Fearnley – All-Sun Belt
Fearnley has led the nations' most-prolific offense this year while tying for the team lead with five goals to go along with an assist. He leads the nation with three game-winning goals in just 11 matches. Along with being tied for second in the NCAA in goals, he is second in the nation with 11 points, behind only teammate Aris Briggs. Fearnley was named to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team and has twice been named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week this season. He has also drawn a pair of honors on the College Soccer News Team of the Week as well as twice being named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week.

Paul Tyson – All-Sun Belt
Tyson continued where he left off last year (eight clean sheets) recording a 7-1 record and four shutouts in eight matches this season. He led a Georgia State defense to six total clean sheets and just six goals allowed this season. He has helped guide a backline allowing just 0.6 team goals against per game which ranks No. 1 in the NCAA. Tyson leads the NCAA with an .848 save percentage, goalie minutes played (720), is third in the nation (first in the Sun Belt) in goals against average (.714), while also leading the nation with four shutouts. He is also first in the NCAA with 31 saves. He was named to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team and garnered Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 23. He has been named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week three times after being named one of the Top 10 goalkeepers in the country by the organization in the preseason.

Ramon Munoz - All-Sun Belt
Munoz has had a remarkable second year with the Panthers, playing in all 11 matches and helping GSU to six clean sheets and just six goals allowed this season. He has helped guide a backline allowing just 0.6 team goals against per game which ranks No. 1 in the NCAA.

No. 2-seed Georgia State (9-2) will face No. 3-seed Central Arkansas (3-5) in Friday's second game of the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Tournament at 7 p.m., at the GSU Soccer Complex. All matches of the 2020 Sun Belt Men's Soccer Championship are set for live coverage on ESPN+. Follow the championship action via Twitter (@SunBelt) or live stats available on SunBeltSports.org.

All-Sun Belt

2020 SUN BELT MEN'S SOCCER POSTSEASON HONORS
Player of the Year
George Proctor, Georgia State
(#16, Sr, D - Leeds, England)

Defensive Player of the Year
George Proctor, Georgia State
(#16, Sr, D - Leeds, England)

Offensive Player of the Year
Aris Briggs, Georgia State
(# 31, Sr, F - Memphis, Tenn.)

Newcomer of the Year
Tor Saunders, Coastal Carolina
(#1, Sr, GK - Bothell, Wash.)

Freshman of the Year
Jason Kemble, Coastal Carolina
(#14, Fr., M - Conway, S.C.)

Coach of the Year
Shaun Docking, Coastal Carolina University

All-Sun Belt Conference
Aris Briggs, Georgia State (F)
Adam Davie, Georgia Southern (F)
Kasper Andersen, Central Ark. (F)
Matthew Fearnley, Georgia State (MF)
Soren Jensen, Central Ark. (MF)
Marcello Jones, Coastal Carolina (MF)
Ross Finnie, Georgia State (MF)
George Proctor, Georgia State (D)
Alberto Suarez, Central Ark. (D)
Mael Couteau, Coastal Carolina (D)
Ramon Munoz, Georgia State (D)
Tor Saunders, Coastal Carolina (GK)
Paul Tyson, Georgia State (GK)

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Players Mentioned

#2 Kyle Clinton: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#10 Ross Finnie: MF; 5' 10"; Freshman

#1 Paul Tyson: GK; 6' 7"; Senior

#10 Matthew Fearnley: M; 5' 10"; Junior

#4 Ross Finnie: M; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#16 George Proctor: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#21 Ramon Munoz: D; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#31 Aris Briggs: F; 6' 4"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#2 Kyle Clinton
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#10 Ross Finnie
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: MF

#1 Paul Tyson
: 6' 7"; Senior
: GK

#10 Matthew Fearnley
: 5' 10"; Junior
: M

#4 Ross Finnie
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: M

#16 George Proctor
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#21 Ramon Munoz
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: D

#31 Aris Briggs
: 6' 4"; Senior
: F