The team GPA is a calculation of the grade point average of each student-athlete who appeared on an institution’s roster throughout the final day of their respective championship seasons during the 2022-23 academic year.

This is the fifth time that Elon has had multiple teams honored in the six-year history of the league award. For men’s basketball and women’s soccer, it is the third time that both programs have been a recipient of the award while men’s soccer is honored for the first time. Elon’s historical CAA Team Academic Excellence Award winners are listed below.

• 2022-23: Men’s Basketball, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer
• 2021-22: Football, Women’s Soccer, Softball, Track & Field
• 2020-21: No honorees
• 2019-20: Not presented due to COVID-19
• 2018-19: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Soccer
• 2017-18: Men’s Cross Country, Men’s Golf
• 2016-17: Men’s Basketball, Men’s Cross Country

QUOTING THE COACHES”

“Elon men’s basketball is honored to win the CAA Team Academic Excellence award. Through the recruitment process, we stress the importance of being a student first as part of the term student-athlete. Our coaching staff is extremely proud of your young men for this team accomplishment, and we are greatly appreciative of our academic support staff for our student-athletes.” – Billy Taylor, men’s basketball

“Our players work hard to maximize their GPA. Every one of them contributes to the overall academic status of our program and this team award is great recognition of their efforts and the Elon educational experience as a whole. We are thankful to the Elon professors and staff and, in particular, to Karen Neff and our academic service center staff. They invest so much time and care to our student-athletes welfare and success and we are truly appreciative. This was a great group of young men that set high standards that translated to a season of success both on and off the field.” – Marc Reeves, men’s soccer

“Elon women’s soccer is proud to be the recipient of the CAA Team Academic Excellence Award for the second year running. Our group of student-athletes continue to impress both on and off the field and work diligently every day in the pursuit of excellence.” – Neil Payne, women’s soccer

The Phoenix will welcome Marshall University to Rudd Field in its opening-round matchup on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.

This is Elon’s (11-4-3) fifth trip to the national tournament overall and its second as an at-large bid. The maroon and gold will host the opening round of the NCAAs for the third time at Rudd Field and for the first time since hosting Winthrop in 2015 in front of an NCAA opening-round best of 2,419 fans.

A member of the Sun Belt Conference and the 2020 NCAA National Champion, the Thundering Herd of Marshall went 10-3-3 this season. Both teams are deadlocked in the all-time series at 1-1 with the last meeting coming in 2009 as the Phoenix earned a 2-0 victory at the UNCG Kickoff Classic.

Elon heads to the NCAA Tournament after finishing the regular season as CAA champions and falling to Hofstra University on Saturday, Nov. 12, in the finals of CAA Tournament.

Ticket information for Thursday’s match will be available later at .

How to Follow

• Saturday’s match will be streamed live on FloFC via a paid subscription with Katie Bennert and Max Wallace on the call.
• Links for the broadcast and live stats can be found on the Elon men’s soccer schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Other in-game updates will be provided on Twitter by following @

The Matchup

• In a rematch of last year’s championship final, the Phoenix and the Pride are meeting on the soccer pitch for the 10th time on Saturday. Hofstra has had great success over the Phoenix in the series, boasting a 7-1-1 ledger in a series dating back to 2014.
• Elon earned its first-ever win over the Pride earlier this year with a 3-1 result on Oct. 15 at Hofstra. Goals scored by Vemund Hole Vik, Victor Stromsten and Scott Vatne contributed to the Phoenix’s win.
• Last year, Hofstra defeated Elon, 3-2, in the CAA final in Hempstead, N.Y. Saturday’s game marks the first time since 2004 and 2005 that the same teams will meet for the league final in consecutive years.

Last time out

• Elon advanced to its second straight league final after earning a 1-0 victory over Drexel in the semifinal round on Sunday, Nov. 6.
• Ben Rosenblatt scored the lone goal of the contest in the 20th minute. The junior headed in a ball on a service from Marco Vesterholm for his first goal of the season.
• Elon’s shutout win also gave netminder Ryan Bilichuk his 11th clean sheet of the season – setting a new single-season school record. The Greenville, S.C., native surpassed the previous record of 10 held by Clint Irwin ’11 and Matthew Jegier ’18. The graduate student recorded a pair of saves in the contest. He also moved to sixth all-time in career shutouts in school history.

Season recap

Rosenblatt earns National Teams of the Week honors for his play against the Dragons on Sunday, Rosenblatt was selected to a pair of National Teams of the Week. The Huntington Woods, Michigan, native was placed on the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News Teams of the Week. Rosenblatt became the fourth individual from the Phoenix to receive National Team of the Week honors either from Top Drawer Soccer or College Soccer News joining teammates Hole Vik, Kasper Lehm and Mason Duval.

Elon was well represented on CAA postseason awards as the Phoenix was rewarded for its great CAA season so far during the league’s announcement of its postseason awards. Elon won two of the four major awards for the league, headlined by Hole Vik being named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Marc Reeves being selected as the unanimous Coach of the Year.

Hole Vik became the second Phoenix player to be named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, joining Nathan Diehl in 2015. Hole Vik was also one of seven Elon players that earned All-CAA honors as the Aalesund, Norway, native earned first-team honors. Elon had a league-best four players receive All-CAA first-team laurels. Along with Hole Vik, Duval, Franc Gamiz Quer and Vatne also received first-team honors. Bilichuk and Lehm were named to the All-CAA second team while first-year Majaliwa Msabaha was placed on the third team and All-Rookie team. Reeves became the first Elon coach to receive the CAA Coach of the Year honor. It was the third Coach of the Year accolade overall in Reeves’ career.

In the Rankings

For the third consecutive week, Elon was receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll. It was also the sixth time this season that the Phoenix has received votes in the poll. Elon currently ranks second in the Atlantic Region and is 24th overall in the most recent RPI rankings. Bilichuk’s 11 clean sheets are tied for first overall in the country and is sixth in the nation on goals-against average (0.53). As a team, Elon is third overall in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.647) and GAA (0.53).

Opening Stanza

• At 11-3-3, Elon has posted its first double-digit winning season since posting 14 victories in 2015. The Phoenix’s regular season crown is its first outright title overall since 2012.
• Elon is making its sixth overall appearance at the CAA Tournament. It’s also the first time that the maroon and gold had reached the league’s postseason tournament in consecutive seasons since doing so from 2014-17.
• The Phoenix holds an overall 183-161 advantage in shots over the opposition. Elon also has an 80-47 advantage in shots on goal, hitting the target at a .437 percent clip.
• Duval leads the Phoenix in points (14) and goals (seven). Overall, Elon has recorded 26 goals from 14 unique scorers this season.
• Elon has tallied 28 assists this season, its highest total since having 35 in 2015. Lehm and Vatne are tied for the team-lead in assists with six with Lehm also being tied for third all-time in program history in career assists with 18.
• The Phoenix is coming off a 9-8-2 ledger during the 2021 fall season and advanced to the CAA Championship final for the first time in school history.
• Elon returns 21 players and seven starters in 2022 including All-CAA performers Kasper Lehm and Jannik Videbaek. The maroon and gold also welcomes back a pair of CAA All-Rookie team players in Calle Edelstam and Scott Vatne.
• Both Lehm and Videbaek were selected to the 2022 Preseason All-CAA team. The Phoenix as a team was tabbed third by the league’s head coaches in the 2022 CAA Preseason Poll.
• Three players will don the captain armband for the Phoenix this season. Videbaek joins returning captains Jeppe Jordoson and Marco Vesterholm as the team captains for the 2022 season.
• Elon welcomes eight newcomers to its roster for 2022 – Gustavo Atencio, Ryan Bilichuk, Michael Clow, Myson Darden, Carlos Levy, Majaliwa Msabaha, Sumner Nenninger and Franc Gamiz Quer.
• Reeves is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Phoenix. Through his 12 seasons overall as a head coach, Reeves has posted a career record of 117-81-36 with 42 of those victories coming at Elon.

Scouting Hofstra

• The defending CAA champion and the No. 3 seed, Hofstra earned its place for the championship final for the 10th time after earning a 2-1 overtime win at No. 2 seed UNCW on Sunday.
• The Pride have scored a league-best 40 goals and boasts two of the top goal scorers in the league. Eliot Goldthorp has a team-best 15 goals, which is second in the NCAA. Teammate and CAA Player of the Year Ryan Carmichael is second in the league with 10 goals. Both players are also top-two in the CAA in points with Goldthrop having 36 and Carmichael having 23.
• Defensively, Hofstra has conceded 18 goals on the year. Wessel Speel has started every game between the posts for the Pride and has a 0.95 GAA with 40 saves and five shutouts on the year.

Up next

The winner of the match between the Phoenix and the Pride will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament. Selections will be announced on Monday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. on .

The Phoenix (10-3-3, 6-1-2 CAA) earned its first regular season title of any kind since 2015 when its shared co-champion honors with Hofstra. The draw secured Elon the No. 1 seed for the league championship tournament while the Seahawks (6-3-7, 5-1-3 CAA) will be the No. 2 seed.

“(UNCW) is a really good team, probably the best team we’ve played all year,” said Elon head coach Marc Reeves. “The first half, they had a lot of chance that we weathered a little bit. The most important thing is that our group just kept battling for each other and when you do that, it keeps you in games.

“Unbelievably proud of the group. I think (winning the regular season title) is a great accomplishment in a big league like this. So, to be regular season champions is a great thing to say.”

UNCW was on the attack early in the match earning a pair of corner kicks less than a minute into the contest. The Seahawks were also able to get three shot attempts in the first three minutes, but Elon was able to hold off the attack.

Elon’s best look early on in the match came in the 23rd minute. The Phoenix drew a free kick just outside the 18-yard area and serviced a ball into the box that found the head of Mason Duval. Duval’s try however went wide of the target.

Three minutes later, UNCW’s Jalen Anderson had the first shot on target of the night, but Phoenix keeper Ryan Bilichuk turned away the shot for the save.

Bilichuk had to make his second save of the night in the 70th minute. The Greenville, S.C., native played a low shot to the bottom left of the goal by UNCW’s Cannon Tootle, but was able to corral the ball.

The Phoenix’s best chance of the night overall came in the 84th minute. Elon looked to counter on a UNCW turnover with Duval and Scott Vatne both racing towards the goal with only one defender between them. Duval slotted the ball to his right to Vatne, who sized up a good look on goal, but the Seahawks’ Gabriel Perrotta made his first save of the match to force a corner kick.

Duval had another chance to put points on the board on another counter attack in the 87th minute. The George Town, Cayman Islands, native tried to find the top left corner from the left side of the box, but the ball sailed high.

NOTES

• Elon earned its first regular season title overall since winning the 2012 Southern Conference championship.

• The draw between the Phoenix and the Seahawks kept the series deadlocked at 6-6-3 all-time going back to 2005.
• Bilichuk tied the program’s single-season record for clean sheets with his 10th of the season. Bilichuk joins Clint Irwin ’11 and Matthew Jegier ’18 atop the program’s single-season shutout record.

• The Phoenix was outshot in the match, 9-3, and also in corners by a 9-3 margin.

The No. 1 seeded Phoenix will host a semifinal matchup against either No. 4 seed Drexel or No. 5 seed Northeastern on Sunday, Nov. 6, in the CAA Championship tournament. That match is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time.

The Phoenix women scored 30 points at the meet, outdistancing second-place Northeastern, who had 49 points in the 6K race. Elon also had five members of its squad earn All-CAA honors with three runners finishing in the top-five and four in the top-10.

In the men’s 8K, the maroon and gold men posted a sixth-place finish at the meet with 126 points. League newcomer Stony Brook won the men’s title with 31 points.

“It was a lot of fun to watch our men and women compete with great confidence and toughness,” said Elon head cross country coach Kevin Jermyn. “Zane (Jackson) and Andrew (Miler) ran their best cross country races ever and were rewarded with All-CAA honors. Freshmen Colby (Robbins) and Nate (Mars) ran well in their CAA debut. I am really excited about the positive progressions throughout our men’s team.

“Our women were spectacular in winning their fourth consecutive CAA team championship. It was awesome to see Madison, Leandra, Anna, Katie and Jette earn All-CAA honors and be rewarded for all of their hard work and sacrifice. I’m also proud of how aggressively Maggie (Springer) competed. I believe this is our best women’s team in school history and I am excited to see them compete against the best in the NCAA Southeast region in two weeks.

Women’s Recap

• Madison Synowiec was the Phoenix’s top finisher at the meet as the Salisbury, Md., native was the runner-up overall at the meet. The junior clocked a time of 21:16.40 in the race.
• Leandra Lorenz followed Synowiec with her third-place standing to earn a medalist finish. The redshirt junior clocked a time of 21:19.70.
• Senior Anna Twomey earned a top-five standing in fourth to earn All-CAA honors. The Berwyn, Pa., native clocked a time of 21:24.10.
• Freshman Katie Blount was 10th in the race as she crossed the line with a time of 21:54.70. The Atlanta, Ga., native received All-CAA honors as did Jette Beermann, who rounded out the Phoenix’s top-five scorers with her 11th-place finish and her time of 21:56.00.

Men’s Recap

• Zane Jackson was the Phoenix’s top runner for the maroon and gold men for the fourth time this season. The Charleston, S.C., native had a time of 25:08.50 and was 10th overall to earn All-CAA honors for the first time in his career.
• Andrew Miller was 15th overall as the Fleming Island, Fla., native posted a time of 25:24.30. He also received All-CAA accolades, the fourth time he had earned that recognition.
• Rookie Nate Mars was the third runner to cross the line for the maroon and gold. The Los Angeles, Calif., native posted a time of 26:22.50 in 40th.
• Another first-year runner, Colby Robbins, was 42nd overall at the meet. He finished with a time of 26:31.80. Daniel King was the fifth runner for Elon as the sophomore was 48th with a time of 26:59.00.

On Deck

The Phoenix will travel to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships on Friday, Nov. 11, in Louisville, Ky.

Women’s Results – Elon 1st place (30 points)

2. Madison Synowiec – 21:16.40
3. Leandra Lorenz – 21:19.70
4. Anna Twomey – 21:24.10
10. Katie Blount – 21:54.70
11. Jette Beermann – 21:56.00
16. Maggie Springer – 22:09.10
23. Hannah Miller – 22:34.70
35. Jasmine Young – 23:02.00
43. Julia Bell – 23:15.00

Men’s Results – Elon 6th place (126 points)

10. Zane Jackson – 25:08.50
15. Andrew Miller – 25:24.30
40. Nate Mars – 26:22.50
42. Colby Robbins – 26:31.80
48. Daniel King – 26:59.00
54. Cameron Dunn – 27:13.20
55. Tamer Metwalli – 27:16.80
58. Caden Strickland – 27:43.00

Lovitz played all 90 minutes against Charlotte, making his 16th start of the season out of his 17 matches played during his third year so far with Nashville SC. Charlotte won the match 4-1, and Lovitz spoke about the growing soccer culture growing in North Carolina that allowed him to compete back in the state at the MLS level.

“It’s amazing,” said Lovitz after the match. “It’s special considering going to school in North Carolina and knowing how strong the soccer culture is. It’s just a matter of time before the MLS came to North Carolina. Seeing that Charlotte was the first to break the mold in that sense, it’s been nice to see them grow into the league and, from a personal standpoint, to come back and have so many friends, family, love and support nearby. That’s what makes this league special and that’s what makes playing away so fun sometimes.”

Lovitz became the highest-drafted player from Elon in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft after being selected 24th overall by Toronto FC. During his nine-year career in the MLS, he’s played for Toronto FC, CF Montréal and Nashville SC. He’s also received 13 caps for the United States Men’s National Team.

Several Elon supporters were in attendance to watch Lovitz play versus Charlotte. The group included current Elon head men’s soccer coach Marc Reeves, assistant coach Brian White along with select former teammates, fans and other support staff.

“Danny continues to play at an incredibly high level of consistency and it was great to see the alumni come out and support him,” Reeves said. “His career is a great example to our players that consistent hard work and self-belief can take you all the way to the top. The university and our program are proud of all that Danny has already achieved and wish him continued success.”

Lovitz starred for the Elon men’s soccer program from 2010-13, helping the Phoenix to four conference championships including three straight tournament titles. He also helped Elon to three NCAA Tournament appearances and was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2013.

“It’s very special and I think about it all the time, frankly, just what Elon meant to me and what the soccer program did for me at the time,” Lovitz said. “It’s just a special experience to know that the Elon community is near and present is just great. Just the outpouring support on social media and having individual people reach out and seeing many familiar faces who I love in the stands makes me very happy and appreciative for the continued support.