Soccer ‘Cats fail to land anyone on MEC All-Conference Team

BRIDGEPORT — The Mountain East Conference announced its 2025 men’s soccer all-conference teams and major award winners following a vote of the league’s head coaches. The University of Charleston, ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll and unbeaten on the season, swept the four major honors. 

UC’s Sam Newell is the MEC Offensive Player of the Year. Newell, who is from the United Kingdom, has been a key piece to the Golden Eagles’ undefeated campaign with four goals and nine assists. The senior scored his first goal of the season in a 2-1 win at Concord, and then tallied all nine of his assists in the eight games of the regular season.

University of Charleston’s Franco Tradatti is the MEC Defensive Player of the Year. The senior from Argentina has started all 18 games on the Golden Eagles’ back line, which has surrendered only four goals this season. Tradatti has scored two goals and assisted on two others for undefeated UC, which has allowed the fewest goals among Division II teams this season. 

UC’s Martin Echarren is the MEC Freshman of the Year. The collegiate rookie from Argentina has tallied seven goals in 18 appearances (16 starts), and was twice named MEC Player of the Week. Echarren notched game-winners against Salem, West Liberty, and Wheeling, the latter of which was a two-goal performance for the undefeated and nationally ranked Golden Eagles.

Charleston’s Daniel Smee is the MEC Coach of the Year. UC is 14-0-4 overall and 11-0-3 in the MEC entering postseason play. The Golden Eagles are D-II’s top-ranked team a year after reaching the national championship game. Smee is now a five-time MEC Coach of the Year, and this past season was also voted the MEC Men’s Sports Coach of the Year after leading UC to the national runner-up.

2025 All-MEC First Team
Pos.NameCl.School
GKKonstantinos ParisisSr.Charleston
FCarlos Quintero RivasSr.Frostburg State
FFridolin GefrorerGr.Point Park
FMartin EcharrenFr.Charleston
FMalher Santi PossuSr.Concord
MSam NewellSr.Charleston
MCaio MoraesJr.Charleston
MHugo FauliSo.Davis & Elkins
MFrancisco Lopez KreikSo.Davis & Elkins
DFranco TradattiSr.Charleston
DJoao SilvaSo.Charleston
DYiftah HarariSo.Davis & Elkins
DTed RobertsSr.Concord
2025 All-MEC Second Team
Pos.NameCl.School
GKNathan ScargillSr.Concord
FTomas PetrungaroJr.Charleston
FChinedu IkemSr.Davis & Elkins
FDominique MalhommeJr.Concord
MGiovanni PezziGr.Point Park
MGuy LehrerJr.Point Park
MPaul HosteSo.Charleston
MRaheem BaptisteGr.Concord
DAndrew DenardSo.Frostburg State
DJack AllanSr.Charleston
DTomas MullerSr.Charleston
DErik LotyszSr.Concord
DSebastian VargasSr.Frostburg State
2025 All-MEC Honorable Mention
GK:  Charlie Phillips (D&E)
F:  Leo Dutra (UC)
M: Mateo Cuadros (FROST), Anthony Diaz (FROST), Ethan Neathery (WLU)
D: Zakari Messam (CU), Lachlan Quate (WLU), Jasper Newton (WLU)
2025 All-MEC Freshman Team
Pos.NameSchool
FInzaghi HarmonFrostburg State
FMartin EcharrenCharleston
MSouleymane BaalDavis & Elkins
DAdam LeibowitzConcord
MElie SimonWheeling
2025 Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Newell (Charleston)
Defensive Player of the Year: Franco Tradatti (Charleston)
Freshman of the Year: Martin Echarren (Charleston)
Coach of the Year: Daniel Smee (Charleston)

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Margaret Sue Cobb, 73, of Fairmont, died on February 18, 2026, at Holbrook Healthcare Center in Buckhannon. She enjoyed hunting and fishing and attended Newlon UM Church in her youth.