McKeever Named Athlete of the Week as Eagles rise to #10 in D-III
The Emory University men’s soccer team received a
double-dose of good news on Tuesday, as senior Nathan
McKeever was named the University Athletic Association
(UAA) Defensive Athlete of the Week, and the team made its first
appearance of the season in the NSCAA Division III poll, rising to
the tenth in the national rankings.
McKeever has led an Eagles’ defense that has not allowed a
goal over its last five games, including two this past
weekend. During Saturday’s 7-0 win at Methodist
University, McKeever played the first 77 minutes of the contest,
helping the backline allow just six shots, including three on goal,
while he was in the game. On Sunday against Averett
University, the defender played all 90 minutes, giving up just four
shots on goal and seven total shots, en route to a 3-0
win.
This season, McKeever and the Emory defense has allowed just one
goal in seven games, good for a 0.14 goals-against average, while
giving up an average of 5.1 shots on goal per game. The
squad’s five-consecutive shutouts are one short of the school
record, set during the 1984 season.
Meanwhile, after starting 7-0-0, the Eagles rose to 10th
among NCAA Division III programs in the latest National Soccer
Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/ HendrickCars.com National
Rankings. The Eagles were the highest ranked team among those
making their first appearance in the poll, and the second-highest
ranked UAA team. It was Emory’s highest in-season
ranking by the NSCAA since the end of the 2008 campaign.
Emory also rose to second in the NSCAA South Atlantic Region
rankings, and to 15th in the D3Soccer.com Top 25
Poll.
The Eagles will return home after a four-game road trip on
Wednesday, hosting Piedmont College at the Woodruff P.E. Center at
6:00 PM.
 |  |
