NEW HAVEN, Conn. (November 12, 2024) – Wilmington University graduate student Theo Faillon has been selected as the 2024 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year. Faillon, who was also voted onto the All-CACC First Team at forward, headlines the all-conference teams and major award winners announced today by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the conference’s 12 head coaches.
Wilmington also claimed the 2024 CACC Men’s Soccer Rookie of the Year in freshman forward Michiharu Takanashi. Post University graduate student Felix Nassen repeated as CACC Defensive Player of the Year, while Caldwell University sophomore Justin Talbot was named Goalkeeper of the Year. Nassen and Talbot also earned spots on the All-CACC First Team. Georgian Court University head coach Dino Raso is the 2024 CACC Coach of the Year, and Bloomfield College is the winner of the Men’s Soccer Team Sportsmanship Award.
Faillon, from Allinges, France, tops the CACC and is tied for the national NCAA Division II lead with 23 goals. He has scored in 16 of the Wildcats 19 games this season with six multi-goal contests, including a hat trick at the University of Bridgeport on Nov. 2. Faillon also owns five assists and a league-best five game-winning goals.
Takanashi’s nine goals and 21 points lead CACC rookies and are sixth overall in the conference. The Ota City, Japan, native, collected six goals during his final five regular-season games, including two in a victory at No. 4-ranked Southern New Hampshire University. Faillon and Takanashi have helped the Wildcats reach the 2024 CACC semifinals.
Nassen, of Stockholm, Sweden, was also named the CACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. He assisted in guiding Post to this year’s regular-season championship. The Eagles rank third in the league in team defense (first in conference games) and seek their sixth consecutive CACC championship.
Talbot leads the CACC in save percentage (.840) and is third in goals-against average (0.91). The Moorestown, N.J., resident went 8-4-2 with four solo shutouts in helping the Cougars to the No. 4 seed in this year’s conference championship tournament.
Raso, selected by the league’s directors of athletics communications, is the CACC Coach of the Year for the first time. He has led Georgian Court to an 11-7-1 overall won-lost-tied record, an 8-3 conference mark, the No. 2 seed in the league playoffs, and a trip to the semifinals. Raso is the only head coach in GCU’s history, now in his 12th season.
Bloomfield, led by head coach Giovanni Soto, was the coaches’ choice for demonstrating class and character throughout the regular season. The Bears win the Team Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive year.
The 2024 CACC men’s soccer major award winners and all-conference teams are listed below.
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Theo Faillon (Wilmington University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Michiharu Takanashi (Wilmington University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Felix Nassen (Post University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Justin Talbot (Caldwell University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER COACH OF THE YEAR
Dino Raso (Georgian Court University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Bloomfield College
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
F – Theo Faillon (Wilmington University)
F – Lorenzo Ferrari (Felician University)
F – Hugo Rodriguez (Felician University)
F – Gijs Van Eif (Georgian Court University)
M – Enzo Beatrix (University of Bridgeport)
M – Luca Dettoli (Post University)
M – Mikey Mallon (Georgian Court University)
M – Manuel Otero (Felician University)
D – Alvaro Martin Castedo (Felician University)
D – Felix Nassen (Post University)
D – Alex Ramos (Felician University)
GK – Justin Talbot (Caldwell University)
2024 CACC MEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
F – Ingebrigt Braenden (Caldwell University)
F – Diego Guzman (Thomas Jefferson University)
F – Tim Jaeger (Felician University)
F – Joao Miranda (University of Bridgeport)
F – Gabe Paz (Thomas Jefferson University)
M – Lucas Fernandes (Goldey-Beacom College)
M – Lenny Greifenberg (Wilmington University)
M – Alex Tarway (Wilmington University)
D – Vitor Antelo (Georgian Court University)
D – Felipe Garcia (Post University)
D – Yigit Kilic (Caldwell University)
GK – Ricardo Moreno (Post University)
GK – Emanuele Moretti (Felician University)