VIDEO: Tobias Solem Karlsen Interview
ROCK HILL, S.C. – For the second-straight season, Carson-Newman has landed a pair of players on the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference first team list with the latest being forward Tobias Solem Karlsen and midfielder Greg Evans.
Both players were All-Conference honorees at the end of last season – Solem Karlsen a first-team pick and Evans a second-team selection.
Karlsen, also a first team preseason pick a year ago, started in 15 of C-N's 17 matches last season after leading the team in just about every statistical category with 10 goals, five being game-winners, 22 points, 67 shots with 27 on goal. The Kongsvinger, Norway-native had three multi-goal games including a hat trick against Coker, bringing his career hat trick total to three. His other two came in his sophomore campaign in wins over Clayton State and Lincoln Memorial.
"I think I've just been working well since I got here," Solem Karlsen said, "and again, like I've been saying, it's just a confirmation that I've been doing something correct and of course it's good to see people notice what I'm doing.
"Of course, getting this preseason second time in a row, last year I got it and showed I can do it again during the season, so hopefully that's the plan this year as well."
The rising senior is tied for the ninth-most career goals with 22 in his three seasons at Mossy Creek. In his time with the Eagles, Karlsen alone has accounted for roughly 23 percent of the team's total goals. His five game-winners this past season matched the second-best mark in a single season that he set last year. He comes into his senior year just one game-winning goal shy of tying Omar Cooke for the second-most in program history with 11 between 2005 and 2009.
This year marks Evans' first preseason accolade from the conference after being a mainstay in the starting XI for the Eagles last season. The Wrexham, Wales-native logged his first career goal in the Eagles' 2-1 loss to then-No. 10 Lander last season.
VIDEO: Greg Evans Interview
The redshirt-junior matched his assist count from the previous year at one last season while attempting eight shots, the most in a single season for his career. All four of his career shots on goal came during the 2018 campaign, as well.
"I think especially since Stephen Lyons has come in, he has taught me a lot, especially for him playing in the same position as me," Evans said. "So playing every minute last year, it was amazing for me, especially, to be on every bit, so, yeah, just got to keep working, getting fitter and getting faster."
Not only did he start in every game the Eagles played last year, but he was also one of just two players on the pitch for all 1,590 minutes the team played, the other being recently graduated goalkeeper Twan Verweij.
Carson-Newman gets its season going with the first of nine road trips as it heads to Tigerville, S.C. for a showdown with the Crusaders of North Greenville. That match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 6.
Men's Soccer 2019 Preseason All-Conference
First Team
F – Soren Nygaard, Wingate
F – Sebastian Bertilsson, Mars Hill
F – Ibrahim Nadir, Newberry
F – Tobias Solem Karlsen, Carson-Newman
MF – Greg Evans, Carson-Newman
MF – Victor Cascon, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Elliot Cutts, Wingate
D – Lucas Mostajo, Anderson
D – Georgios Charkoutsakis, Tusculum
D – Alan Brandao, Lincoln Memorial
D – Michael Hornsby, Queens
GK – Gal Elyashiv, Anderson
Second Team
F – Hunter Faust, Catawba
F – Goncalo Garcia, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Harry Ward, Anderson
MF – Henrique Devens, Tusculum
MF – Carles Montoliu Lobo, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Mattia Ditommaso, Wingate
MF – Edgar Cervantes, Tusculum
D – Jeppe Christensen, Mars Hill
D – Clément Dagorn, Tusculum
D – Julio Neto, Lincoln Memorial
D – Ryan Tyrer, Anderson
GK – Sebastian Kalk, Queens
GK - Alejandro Quiriti, Tusculum