Milardo, Simpson, Hamzavi Headline GNAC Men's Soccer Year-End Awards
WINTHROP, Mass. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team, which captured its third Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship this past Saturday, collected three major GNAC year-end awards, as sophomore midfielder Mario Milardo (Middletown, Conn.) was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Year, senior defender Nicholas Simpson (Mansfield, Conn.) earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, and sophomore midfielder Nico Hamzavi (West Hartford, Conn.) was tabbed GNAC Rookie of the Year, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.
The three major awards mark the third, fourth, and fifth in program history for USJ. In addition to the major honors, Hamzavi, Milardo, and Simpson were each named to the All-GNAC First Team alongside senior forward Emmanuel Ofori (East Hartford, Conn.). Joining the quartet in all-conference recognition were sophomore midfielder Landon Coelho (Naugatuck, Conn.) and junior defender Trevor Sousa (Southington, Conn.), who earned spots on the All-GNAC Second Team, while sophomore midfielder Justin Cardinale (Wolcott, Conn.) received a selection to the All-GNAC Third Team. Senior midfielder Jason Moleiro (Rocky Hill, Conn.) rounded out USJ's honorees, earning a place on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
The GNAC year-end awards are voted on by the league's 13 head coaches.
Milardo enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for the Blue Jays, leading the team with 28 points on 11 goals and six assists. Named GNAC Tournament MVP after guiding USJ to its third conference title in program history, Milardo ranked third in the GNAC in total points, goals, and assists. Nationally, he finished 64th in total points, 68th in goals, and 64th in points per game. The honor marks his second consecutive All-Conference selection, following an All-GNAC Second Team nod in 2024.
Simpson anchored a dominant USJ backline that recorded seven shutouts on the season. The senior center back was also a key contributor on offense, converting all four of his penalty kick attempts and adding one assist for nine total points. It is also Simpson's second straight All-Conference recognition, after earning Second Team honors last year.
Hamzavi made an immediate impact in his rookie season, ranking third on the team with 14 points on four goals and a team-high six assists. The West Hartford native was instrumental in both midfield control and set pieces throughout the year.
Ofori powered the Blue Jays' attack with 23 points on nine goals and five assists across 18 games. The senior forward was highly efficient, posting a .581 shots-on-goal percentage, which ranks 66th nationally.
Coelho continued to shine as one of USJ's most consistent players, earning All-GNAC Second Team honors after receiving First Team recognition a year ago. A defensive-minded midfielder, Coelho helped the Blue Jays to seven shutouts while contributing one goal and two assists in 2025.
Sousa joined Simpson as part of USJ's primary center-back pairing, helping the Blue Jays maintain one of the top defensive units in the league. The junior added one goal and three assists on the year.
Cardinale patrolled the left flank as USJ's starting wing back, contributing to the team's seven clean sheets while adding one assist offensively.
MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Mario Milardo, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Defensive Player of the Year: Nicholas Simpson, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Chris Alcon, Regis
Coach of the Year: Renato Capobianco, Regis
Rookie of the Year: Nico Hamzavi, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Institutional Sportsmanship Award: Norwich University
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
F – Emmanuel Ofori, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
F – Jacobo Molina Ferrer, Elms
F – Nick Marion, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
F – Mario Milardo, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
M – Nico Hamzavi, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
M – Zander Haskell, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
M – Alejandro Quezada, Rivier
B – Nicholas Simpson, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
B – Luiggi Ferreira, Rivier
B – Michael Champagne, Regis
GK – Chris Alcon, Regis
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
F – Lorenzo Lauria, Albertus Magnus
F – Aiden Coelho, Albertus Magnus
F – Cole Bishop, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
M – Landon Coelho, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
M – Rafael Matamoros, Emmanuel
M – Eddy Nyemah, New England College
M – Oleksandr Kharchuk, Norwich
B – Joseph Perron, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
B – Trevor Sousa, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
B – Diego Robinson, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
GK – Logan Clough, Rivier
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
F – Dru Fairthorne, Elms
F – Kaden Lewis, Colby-Sawyer
F – Matthews Ferreira, Rivier
M – Diego Fuentes, Norwich
M – Brian Allen, Dean
M – Callum Park, Regis
B – Benjamin Anderson, Emmanuel
B – Gabriel Cantarero, Norwich
B – Justin Cardinale, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
B – Colin Riley-Perec, Colby-Sawyer
GK – Kirk Rodgers, Norwich
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Michael Abayomi, Albertus Magnus
Eric Deschner, Colby-Sawyer
Chris Tunley, Dean
La'Shion Mohr, Elms
Gabriel Eduarte, Emmanuel
Dino Celikovic, Lasell
Snadooby Robert, Mitchell
Pat Tewksbury, New England College
Nick DePeppe, Norwich
Juan Pablo Chavarria, Regis
Andrew Lennox, Rivier
Keegan Cary, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Jason Moleiro, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
About the Great Northeast Athletic Conference
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association comprised of 14 member institutions and more than 4,000 student-athletes across New England. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity, and community engagement to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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