OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Oakland's
Noah Jensen and
Dylan Borczak were two of 30 national men's soccer student-athletes who excel both on and off the field selected as candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award®. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior or graduate-student and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character, and competition.
Jensen currently leads the team and ranks second in the Horizon League in assists (4) and ranks second on the team and ninth in the league in points (6) with one goal. Heading into the Fall 2021 season, Jensen was one of 44 national men's soccer players named to the United Soccer Coaches 2021 Men's Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List announced by the national office.
A three-time team captain at midfield and Courtice, Ontario, Canada native, Jensen had one of the most successful seasons in program history during the Spring 2021 campaign. He became the first men's soccer student-athlete in program history to earn United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's All-America second team honors in the Division I era after leading the nation in assists (14) and assists per game (1.56). Jensen also ranked seventh in the nation while leading the Horizon League in points (22), second in the country in points per game (2.44) and third on the team in goals (4) with three coming off penalty kicks.
Additionally, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region first team and was named one of 15 men's soccer national semifinalists for the United Soccer Coaches Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy, the highest individual award presented to a player in intercollegiate soccer. He also was named 2021 Horizon League Player of the Year and earned All-Horizon League first team honors.
Academically, Jensen earned 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches Men's NCAA Division I Scholar All-America first team honors after earning a 3.70 overall GPA and perfect 4.00 GPA during the Winter 2021 semester while majoring in Actuarial Science. He also garnered 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's Scholar All-Region honors while garnering Horizon League All-Academic Team honors for the second time in his career. Jensen has been on the Horizon League Honor Roll every semester at Oakland.
Borczak currently ranks second on the team goals (2), assists (2) and points (6) which also ranks ninth in the league. Heading into the Fall 2021 season, he was also one of 44 national men's soccer players named to the United Soccer Coaches 2021 Men's Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List announced by the national office.
During the Spring 2021 campaign, the Detroit, Mich native was named Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year and earned first team honors for the second consecutive season after ranking 23rd in the nation and third in the league in points (18) while ranking 20th in the country and second in the league in goals (7) and sixth in the country in points per game (2.00) at midfield for the Golden Grizzlies after the Spring 2021 season. He was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region first team.
Academically, the fifth-year senior, has been on the Horizon League Honor Roll every semester at Oakland maintaining a 3.06 GPA majoring in Integrative Studies.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Each of the 60 candidates (30 men, 30 women) has displayed a strong work ethic in the classroom and on the pitch. Outside of academics and athletics, all candidates have also been consistently involved in community service on their campus or in their communities.
Each of the two candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character, and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2021 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December.
Men's Soccer 2021 Senior CLASS Candidates
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