Welcome back to MLS On Campus, our weekly look at the goings-on in the college game. Every Monday, we'll give you the week's best highlight, the standout players, which games to watch in the week ahead and, of course, our national Top 10 list.
After all, the SuperDraft is only a few months away...
Big Men on Campus
Akron senior defender Chad Barson–This is almost a season-long achievement award more than any one match, as Barson has been a defensive rock for the stingy Zips for the entire year. A sure-fire lock to sign a Homegrown contract with the Columbus Crew at season’s end, Barson led the Zips to two more shutouts this weekend and scored his second goal of the year at Hartwick.
UCF junior forward Deshorn Brown– The Jamaican transferred to the Golden Knights after a prolific sophomore season at the University of Mobile, leading all NAIA players with 32 goals last year. That success has transferred to Conference USA, where the big 6-foot-2 forward grabbed five goals in two games last week, bring his total to 11 for the season.
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<strong>1</strong> |
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<strong>1</strong> |
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Maryland<br><span style="font-size:12px;">(14-0-2)</span></strong></span> |
<p>The Terps let a two-goal lead slip to Clemson, but held on for a 2-2 draw on senior night that saw Sasho Cirovski’s side, led by senior defender London Woodberry of the FC Dallas academy (above), take home its first regular-season ACC title since 2005. The real excitement begins a week from Monday with the Terps opening the ACC tournament against NC State at Ludwig Field. </p> |
<strong>2</strong> |
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<strong>3</strong> |
<p class="rtecenter" style=""><strong style="font-size: 16px; ">Akron</strong><br><strong style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center; "><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(13-1-2)</span></strong></p> |
<p>How’s this for dominant? In their last 10 games, Caleb Porter’s Zips are 10-0-0 with 28 goals for and just one goal against. Granted, some of the beatdowns have come against weaker MAC sides, but recent wins over USF, Penn State, Michigan, West Virginia and Ohio State show that Akron is once again a major national championship contender. </p> |
<strong>3</strong> |
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<strong>2</strong> |
<strong style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center; ">UConn<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(13-2-1)</span></strong> |
<p>The Huskies stumbled midweek, but beat Providence on Saturday night behind the seventh goal of the season from senior Carlos Alvarez to take home a share of the Big East regular-season championship. With the win, UConn also takes the No. 1 seed in what should be a fascinating Big East Tournament beginning on Wednesday and ending at Red Bull Arena in two weeks' time. </p> |
<strong>4</strong> |
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<b>4</b> |
<strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; ">UNC<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(13-2-1)</span></strong> |
<p>UNC locked up the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament with two shutout wins this week. The smothering Tar Heels defense leaves senior goalkeeper Scott Goodwin without a ton of work on most occasions, but when called on, he’s delivered. The Raleigh native has 12 shutouts and a ridiculous 0.24 goals-against average in 16 games this year. </p> |
<strong>5</strong> |
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<strong>7</strong> |
<strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; ">Notre Dame<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(13-3-1)</span></strong> |
<p>Many times in the past, we’ve seen a hot forward put a team on his back and lead them to NCAA glory. Notre Dame's Ryan Finley is as good a bet to be that guy this season as any. The tricky senior bagged three goals in two games against Marquette this weekend including an 88th-minute equalizer on Saturday in Milwaukee to give the Irish a first-round bye.</p> |
<strong>6</strong> |
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<strong>6</strong> |
<strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; ">Georgetown<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(13-2-1)</span></strong> |
<p>The Hoyas did exactly what they needed to this week, twice shutting out Seton Hall to clinch a share of the Big East regular-season title. Freshman phenom Brandon Allen of the New York Red Bulls Academy capped a fantastic regular season with his 11thgoal of the year, a late game-winner. St. John’s awaits on Saturday in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals.</p> |
<strong>7</strong> |
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<strong>8</strong> |
<p class="rtecenter" style=""><strong style="font-size: 16px; ">Louisville</strong><br><strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(12-4-1)</span></strong></p> |
<p>A run of six straight conference wins to close the season earned the Cardinals the top seed in the Big East red division with all signs pointing to a must-watch showdown against Marquette coming up on Saturday in the Big East quarterfinals. All the pieces are there for a long tournament run, led by senior midfield maestro Paolo DelPiccolo. </p> |
<strong>8</strong> |
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<b>9</b> |
<p class="rtecenter" style=""><strong style="font-size: 16px; ">New Mexico</strong><br><strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(14-3-0)</span></strong></p> |
<p>Another impressive weekend for the Lobos, logging two shutout wins on the West Coast at San Jose State and Seattle. Vancouver Whitecaps Academy product Ben McKendry grabbed the game-winner at Seattle, the freshman attacker's third goal of the year.</p> |
<strong>9</strong> |
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<strong>5</strong> |
<strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; ">Marquette<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(14-2-1)</span></strong> |
<p>A strong regular season came to a sad ending as the Golden Eagles could only manage a draw and a loss against Notre Dame. The two results see Marquette slide all the way from the No. 1 seed to the No. 4 spot, meaning they have to host a first round Big East Tournament match against Cincinnati on Wednesday instead of getting to lick their wounds on a bye.</p> |
<strong>10</strong> |
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<strong>(NR)</strong> |
<strong style="text-align: center; font-size: 16px; ">Washington<br><span style="font-size: 12px; ">(11-3-3)</span></strong> |
<p>It’s time to give it up for UW. Using a rag-tag mix of transfers and youth, the Huskies have pushed through Pac-12 play undefeated, including an historic win at UCLA, and they sit on the cusp of their first conference championship since 2000. They need a win Monday night in Seattle against the Bruins to clinch the title. </p> |
Highlight of the Week
Watch as Deshorn Brown tallies a hat-trick in UCF’s thrilling 4-3 comeback overtime win over Memphis.
Great goals from potential first-round draft picks Ryan Hollingshead and Emery Welshman highlight UCLA’s 2-1 victory over Oregon State on Friday afternoon.
What to Watch For:
No. 10 Washington vs. UCLA (Monday, 10 pm ET, Pac-12 Network)
Monday night football! This showdown is a must-watch game to see if the Huskies can complete their Cinderella run to the conference championship while UCLA tries to avenge its defeat from earlier this year, one that ended the Bruins' 16-game conference winning streak. Plenty of Seattle youth players populate the Washington roster, while senior winger Hollingshead is the star attraction for UCLA.
Wake Forest vs. No. 1 Maryland (Thursday, 7 pm ET)
A very good Demon Deacons team, led by highly-regarded D.C. United Academy midfielder Collin Martin, is all that stands between the Terrapins and an undefeated regular season. Win or lose, Wake Forest is a lock for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but it's a certainty that they'll be focused only on putting a "1" in Maryland's "losses" column.
