Four Named All-Heart, Baris Chosen as Freshman of the Year
Oskaloosa–Four members of the Statesmen men’s soccer team were lauded for exceptional seasons as the 2023 all-Heart of America Athletic Conference teams were announced Thursday.
Goalkeeper Sean Bohan (Jr., Dublin, Ireland, Business Management) and defender Edan Sears (Jr., Telford, England, Sports Management) were both chosen for the 14-person first team, while midfielders Emre Baris (Fr., Dortmund, Germany, Business Management) and Lukas Koch (Sr., Moers, Germany, Master’s of Sports Management) both earned recognition on the 13-person second squad. An additional 13 players garnered third-team laurels as well.
The award is the first for all four players. The four honorees are the most for William Penn since 2019.
Baris also collected the Heart’s Freshman of the Year accolade. It is the first time since 2016 that WPU has won the FOY award and the second time in school history.
The quartet has helped WPU to an 11-3-4 overall record, including a 6-2-3 mark in the Heart that has landed the navy and gold in second place for the Heart Tournament.
Bohan, who is the program’s first goalkeeper to earn all-conference recognition since 2014, is the first goalkeeper to be selected to the top squad since 2006. The junior has thus far posted an 11-3-4 record with a 1.02 Goals Against Average. In 1,504 minutes between the pipes, he has recorded 53 saves on 70 shots on goal faced for a .757 save percentage.
Bohan has eight shutouts to his credit this fall. He has produced a season-best six saves twice.
In addition to being a defender who has helped the navy and gold to allow just 1.07 goals per contest and to tally eight shutouts, Sears is also a menace on offense. The junior has posted six goals and three assists for 15 total points.
Sears has connected on all three of his penalty kick tries. His top game thus far came against Central Methodist on October 4 when he managed two goals with one assist.
Baris has been a consistent player for William Penn in the middle, thus far with five goals and four assists for 14 points. He scored a season-high two goals versus Mobile on September 2.
Alongside Baris, Koch has been stalwart in the middle with all of his offensive contributions coming via assists as he leads the Heart with nine assists (nine points total), three helpers more than any other league player in 2023.
Gyorgy Kamaras of Baker has been named the Heart’s Player and Offensive Player of the Year. Kasuki Hashimoto of Missouri Valley earned the Defensive Player of the Year award, while Mount Mercy’s Keita Karasawa garnered Newcomer of the Year honors. Missouri Valley’s Vladimir Simic was tabbed as Coach of the Year by his peers.
