Braun Named PSUAC Defensive Player of the Year
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. - Five members of the Penn State New Kensington men's soccer team were honored on the Penn State University Athletic Conference all-conference teams as announced today. Senior Brady Braun (Harrison City, Pa./Penn Trafford) highlights the list as he was named Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the first team.
The future of New Kensington soccer continues to look bright as four freshmen were named to the second team: Austin Arnold (Washington, Pa./Chartiers-Houston), Jordan Cooper (Fairfax, Va./Robinson), Jacob Guerrini (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell), and William Root (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester).
Braun is the first New Kensington soccer player to win one of the PSAUC's major awards since 2013. He has been included on the all-conference team in each of his three seasons, earning 1st team honors in 2019 and 2nd team as a freshman in 2018. This season, Braun stepped into a new defensive role to help the New Kensington squad. Despite spending his time on the defense, Braun has scored nine goals and contributed seven assists. He has 29 goals and 17 assists during his career.
Arnold had a great freshman campaign for the Lions, finishing with 14 goals which was good for fifth in the conference and 32 points which ranked him sixth. The forward registered a hat trick against Villa Maria on Sept. 11, 2021.
Cooper also found him among league leaders this season. He ranked second in assists with nine and fourth in goals and points with 16 and 41, respectively. Cooper had two hat tricks on the season against PSU Scranton on Sept. 18 and PSU Hazleton on Sept. 25.
Guerrini was the team leader in goals this season with 20 to rank him third in the PSUAC. He was also third in points with 47 and tenth in assists with seven. Guerrini produced a trio of hat tricks during the season and had seven multi-goal games.
Root was a rock at center back for the New Kensington team, helping the squad to four shutouts. Even from his defensive position, Root was fifth on the team in goals scored with eight and also contributed three assists.
New Kensington, coached by Mark Duffield, sits at a 12-5 record overall and 8-2 in the PSUAC.