A.I.I. Release
A.I.I. Championship Central
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Inaki Aldao, AJ Jarvis, Renato Silva, and Mark Heath-Preston were each announced as major award winners at Thursday evening's Association of Independent Institutions men's soccer banquet.
A.I.I. Player of the Year – Inaki Aldao (Jr., Forward)
Despite missing a pair of games, BU's top striker leads the team as well as the A.I.I. and ranks in a tie for 48th nationally with 12 goals and four assists. He's put 31 of his 81 shots on frame and has scored in nine different games this season. Aldao has notched multi-goal efforts three times; in a 3-2 win at then-No. 7 Columbia, in a 5-1 win against Sterling, and in a 10-1 win at Presentation.
A.I.I. Goalkeeper of the Year – AJ Jarvis (So., Goalkeeper)
Jarvis has logged all 1660 minutes that BU has played this season in net posting a 0.60 goals against average which ranks 10th nationally and a gaudy .843 save percentage, conceding just 11 goals in 70 shots on target. On average he allows just one goal every 150.9 minutes and has recorded nine clean sheets. Twice he posted a season-high seven saves (in a 2-2 draw at Judson and in a 2-1 win at Concordia).
A.I.I. Newcomer of the Year – Renato Silva (Sr., Midfielder/Forward)
Silva's been an impact addition for the Bruins with his creativity and chance creation. In 14 appearances for Bellevue, he's scored nine goals and three assists, including netting a hat trick in the Bruins' 5-1 win against Hannibal-LaGrange. Silva has scored in six of Bellevue's last nine games leading into post-season play, totaling eight goals and three assists in that span.
A.I.I. Coach of the Year – Mark Heath-Preston (third season)
Heath-Preston guided the Bruins through an unbeaten regular-season (16-0-2) and led them to the top seed in this weekend's A.I.I. Tournament. BU has already matched a program record for victories in a season (16), originally set by the 2005 team, and has out-scored their opposition by a 61-11 margin through 18 games. In three years at the helm Heath-Preston's teams have posted a record of 36-13-6.
All-A.I.I. Selections (5 first team, 2 second team)
In addition to sweeping the major awards portion of the program, Bellevue landed five players on the All-A.I.I. first team with a further two players being chosen to the All-A.I.I. second team.
Jarvis, Silva, and Aldao were each cited in addition to their other awards. Joining them on the team were junior defender Finlay Bloodworth and sophomore midfielder Toby Millward. Bloodworth has primarily been deployed as a left back but has also seen time in the midfield helping BU post nine shutouts while scoring four goals and one assist. Millward, Bellevue's set piece specialist, has been effective on both ends; he's scored nine goals and eight assists while also tucking back to help the defensive efforts.
Earning second team All-A.I.I. honors were a pair of seniors in defender Jacob Pease and midfielder Travis Hurd. Pease has captained the Bruins and anchored a back line which has posted nine clean sheets on the season while Hurd served as one BU's primary playmakers in the midfield and has recorded eight goals and six assists on the season.
A.I.I. Champions of Character – Aboubakar Tchalombo, Yago Ramos
Additionally, Aboubakar Tchalombo and Yago Ramos were cited as BU's Champions of Character for best embodying the NAIA's five core values; respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.
Up Next:
Bellevue begins their quest for an A.I.I. title with a semifinal match against Talladega College on Friday at 4 p.m. The winner of that game advances to Saturday's championship for a 3 p.m. kick-off against the winner of the other semifinal featuring Georgia Gwinnett College and Waldorf University.
