Three Eagles land preseason All-SAC nods

Posted: Feb 03, 2021

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Three Carson-Newman men's soccer players picked up preseason All-South Atlantic Conference honors on Wednesday with Bram Kaarsgaren and Nic Carsh being tabbed first-teamers and Thaylan Silva landing on the second team, as announced by the league office.

This marks the most preseason nods for the program since five were tabbed All-SAC players prior to the 2018 season. C-N has had at least two players included on the list every year since 2006.

The trio was a part of a seven-player unit that grabbed All-SAC picks by the end of the 2019 season after winning the program's 10^th regular season title. Kaarsgaren was the first-team goalkeeper while Carsh and Silva were second-team midfielder and forward selections, respectively. These honors mark the first preseason laurels for each of the three Eagles.

Kaarsgaren was tabbed the goalkeeper for the All-SAC first team by the end of his debut season in 2019. He made 15 starts in 16 appearances while racking up a 9-4-3 record. His nine wins tie for ninth in program history for wins in a single season. The Den Bosch, The Netherlands native was third in the conference with 71 saves, a 0.789 saving clip, 19 goals against and a 1.13 goals against average. Through his debut year, he already made his way onto the program's career records list with the fourth-best goals against average, just edging his predecessor Twan Verweij who had a 1.17 clip in his two seasons with the Eagles.

Kaarsgaren tallied 4.1 shutouts in his debut season with the Orange and Blue. He made a season-high 10 saves in a 2-1 win over Queens on Oct. 5. The junior was tabbed a SAC AstroTurf Defensive Player of the Week twice throughout the season, making him the second keeper in program history to receive the accolade but the first to receive the laurel twice in one season.

"We lost a few big names in the defense," Kaarsgaren said, "but I think with this new defense, we are still very strong. Me and my defense can still go for the same goals, get as many clean sheets as we can. It's the same goals as last year."

Carsh's second season with the Eagles was a breakout one after not stepping onto the pitch during his freshman campaign. The junior played in 16 matches last season with five appearances in the Starting XI. He scored four goals, including the game-winner in the 103rd minute to take down No. 15 Coker, helping him to pick up his first-ever SAC AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week accolade on Oct. 15. The Newberg, Ore. native season-high outing came in the 3-1 win over Newberry on Sept. 21 when he tallied three points on a goal and assist.

"[The extended offseason] has been difficult," Carsh said, "but, once again, when you have a good team like we have around us and everyone has the same basic big-picture goals -- we all want to win – it makes it a lot easier when we're all together."

Spending time at the forward and midfield position throughout most of the 2019 season, Silva started in 15 of his 17 appearances on the pitch last season. He led the SAC through the regular season with eight assists, tying him for eighth-most in a season in program history. The São Paulo, Brazil native connected for five goals on the year, two of those coming from penalty kicks. The forward's two successful PKs tied him for the sixth-most in a season in team history. On the career level, those PK goals and attempts place him in a tie for eighth and ninth, respectively. He led the team with 18 points.

The 2020-21 season is set to get underway on Saturday, February 13 with a trip to Belmont, N.C. to tussle with the Belmont Abbey Crusaders. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m.

Men's Soccer 2020-21 Preseason All-Conference

First Team

F – Harry Ward, Anderson

F – Victor Cascon, Lenoir-Rhyne

F – Ibrahim Nadir, Newberry

F – Jacques Fokam-Sandeu, Coker

MF – Keegan Burton, Queens

MF – Daniel Kuper, Wingate

MF – Nic Carsh, Carson-Newman

MF – Mikkel Fahlen bruun, Wingate

D – Niclas Wittur, Wingate

D – Sebastian Marx, Limestone