From Brandeis University Athletics
Brandeis University junior defender Conor Lanahan of Avon, Conn., has added two more honors to his trophy case today, earning D3soccer.com's National Defender of the Year title, as well as a place on the web site's first-team All-America squad. In addition, senior goalkeeper Joe Graffy of Concord, N.H., earned D3Soccer.com second-team All-America honors.
Lanahan had previously earned second-team All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. This is the fifth year that D3Soccer.com had named a Defender of the Year and the third time it has gone to a player from New England. Lanahan and Graffy are the third and fourth Judges to earn All-America honors from the site.
Lanahan anchored a Judge defense that finished third in NCAA Division III with a school-record 0.38 goals-against average. The Judges allowed just nine goals in 23 contests and set another school record with 17 shutouts. Lanahan added a goal and an assist on the offensive end of the field. He was named UAA Defensive Player of the Week twice during the season.
Graffy, a first-team All-UAA goalkeeper, played all but 35 minutes in goal for the Judges. He set school records with 15 solo shutouts and a 0.38 goals-against average, fourth lowest in Division III. He made 62 saves for an .873 save percentage, 11th in Division III. Graffy was a three-time UAA Player of the Week this season. Graffy recorded shutouts in each of the first three rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament, including a 0-0 tie in the third round against Amherst, when he made a save in the fourth round of penalty kicks to help the Judges advance.
Brandeis finished 2014 with a 19-3-1 record, tying the school record for wins in a season. The Judges reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III tournament with wins over Husson (3-0) and Bowdoin (1-0) at home, and a penalty-kick shootout against Amherst in the Sweet 16 (0-0, 6-5 PKs) before falling to Oneonta State in the Elite Eight. They were also one of only two teams to defeat eventual national champions Tufts University during the regular season, handing the Jumbos a 2-0 defeat on Sept. 20. In head coach Mike Coven's 42nd season, the Judges were ranked No. 7 in the final D3soccer.com Division III poll.