From Brandeis University Athletics
For the third year in a row, Brandeis University senior midfielder Josh Ocel of North Attleboro, Massachusetts, has been selected as an All-American D3Soccer.com, while senior goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse of Suffield, Connecticut, has been honored for the first time.
Ocel becomes just the seventh three-time All-American in D3Soccer.com history, earning a spot on the first team for the first time in his career. Ocel earned second-team honors from D3Soccer.com in 2015 and 2016. Along with his three All-America awards from the United Soccer Coaches, Ocel's six career awards make him the most decorated men's soccer player in Brandeis's stories history.
Ocel was Brandeis's leading scorer with four goals and 11 assists this season. After delivering assists in each of the Judges' first three NCAA Division III tournament games this season, he broke Brandeis's school record with 45 for his career. Ocel surpassed Rob Muller '77, whose mark of 44 had stood for more than 40 years and was established during the Judges' 1976 championship season. Ocel became the second player in University Athletic Association men's soccer history to earn first-team honors four years in a row this season.
Woodhouse earned on-the-field All-America honors for the first time in his career after claiming CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in December. Woodhouse backstopped the Judges to the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer tournament for the second straight season, posting a 13-4 record with an 0.71 goals-against average and an .844 save percentage, both among the top 40 goalkeepers in Division III.
Woodhouse played the first 13 games of the season for the Judges before suffering an injury that forced him to miss the final three regular-season games. He returned to the Brandeis lineup for the NCAA tournament and turned in four-straight shutouts, the last three by 1-0 scores, to get the Judges back the Final Four in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Judges suffered a 3-2 defeat to eventual national champions Messiah in the semifinals. A three-year starter, Woodhouse graduates second on Brandeis's all-time list with 23 shutouts and 39 wins with a 0.79 goals-against average and .818 save percentage, also among the top five.
The Brandeis University men's soccer team finished the season with a 17-5 record and advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the second year in a row under first-year head coach Gabe Margolis.
Ocel is a 2013 graduate of Worcester Academy.
Woodhouse is a 2014 graduate of Suffield High School.