[Soccer] Four Cavs make All-AAC Second Team, 18 earn all-academic honors

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) released the 2019 All-AAC Soccer Team and Awards, voted on and selected by the coaches, and Joseph Akpome, Raphael Duarte, Francisco Prado, and Jesus Ramos all landed a spot on the men's soccer All-Conference Second Team.

Akpome, a senior from Monrovia, Liberia, was an anchor for Montreat's defense, which only allowed 17 goals in conference play 23 goals overall for the season. He also added an assist on the year.

Duarte is a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He finished the season with seven goals, six of them against conference opponents, including Montreat's lone goal of the squad's AAC tournament quarterfinal game. He also had four assists this year.

Prado, a senior and native of Quito, Ecuador, led the Cavs in scoring this season with nine goals featuring a five-game scoring streak from Sept. 25 to Oct. 8. He also contributed a team-high five assists throughout the year.

Ramos posted three shutouts this year and made a total of 73 saves. The junior goalkeeper from Nayarit, Mexico averaged 1.49 goals against and had a .768 save percentage.

Montreat's two Champions of Character Team representatives were Alex Heck on the women's side and Andre Dinca on the men's team.

A total of 18 Cavaliers hit the mark for AAC all-academic honors. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a sophomore or above in academic standing with at least a 3.25 GPA.

Earning all-academic nods for the women were Kaylie Bean, Maria Camilo, Madelyn Hambrick, Alex Heck, Payton Landy, Hannah Leonard, Maddy Reed, and Mackenzie Starnes.

Members of the men's team who earned the honors were Joseph Akpome, Hugo Baptiste, Andre Dinca, Raphael Duarte, Daniel Mugambi, Oliver Nuno-Rodriguez, Bas Pouls, Henry Romero, William Stallworth, and Isaac Wilkening.