From Brandeis University Athletics
Senior back Conor Lanahan of Avon, Conn., and junior midfielder Josh Ocel of North Attleboro, Mass., have been honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as NCAA Division III All-Americans.
Lanahan is honored as an All-American by the NSCAA for the second time in his career, landing on the First Team. He was a second-team selection by the NSCAA as a junior, when he also earned D3soccer.com National Defender of the Year honors. He is the third men's soccer player in school history to earn All-America honors in two different seasons, joining Kevin Healy '85, who was honored in 1981 and 1982, and Jim McCully '86, who was honored in 1984 and 1985.
Ocel was selected as a second-team All-American in his second season with the Judges after missing his rookie campaign to injury. Ocel joins his brother Sam '13, who was selected as a third-team All-American in 2012. They are the second siblings in Brandeis history in any sport to earn All-America honors, joining Kellie '89 and Pam Vaughan '90, who were both honored for women's soccer.
This marks the fourth year in a row that the Judges have had at least one All-American on their roster and the second time in as many years that they have had two.
Lanahan anchored a Brandeis defense that finished 16th nationally with a 0.61 goals-against average (14 goals allowed) and 27th with a 0.55 shutout percentage (12 shutouts in 22 games). Lanahan also scored two goals and had an assist, which came in the Judges' 2-1 win over Thomas College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Nov. 14.
Ocel tied for the team lead with four goals and topped the squad with 10 assists to lead the Judges with 18 points. He led the University Athletic Association in assists and tied for fourth in total points, while his 10 assists were 27th in all of Division III. Ocel was involved in 14 of the Judges' 29 goals this season. He scored three game-winners, including one with less than a minute left in regulation in the NCAA win against Thomas, while also assisting a goal in the team's second-round win over RPI on Nov. 15, a game the Judges won 2-1 in double overtime.
In head coach Mike Coven's 43rd season on the sidelines, the Brandeis men's soccer team finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in Division III by the NSCAA with a 16-2-1 record. The Judges won their first-ever outright UAA title and automatic berth in the NCAA Division III tournament in the process, their fourth-straight trip to the tournament. Playing at home, Brandeis defeated Thomas (Maine), 2-1, in the first round on a goal by Ocel with 42.6 seconds left in regulation. They defeated RPI by the same score in double overtime in the second. The Judges met second-ranked Trinity (Texas) University in the third round at Amherst College, and suffered a 2-0 defeat to close their season with an 18-3-1 record.
Lanahan is a 2011 graduate of Avon High School.
Ocel is a 2012 graduate of Worcester Academy.
Click here for the full NSCAA All-America teams: http://www.nscaa.com/awards/2015-ncaa-division-iii-men-s-all-america-teams