Two Terps were named to the first team.
Maryland men’s soccer is in terrible form to end its Big Ten season, but six Terps were still awarded conference honors, it was announced Friday.
The headliner was center back William Kulvik, who took home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Kulvik has been an unsung hero on the team for years as a rock solid presence on the back line.
He is not a flashy player, but rather a consistently solid defender who does the little things right. Until its recent collapse, Maryland had one of the best defensive units in the conference, if not the country — a form it will hope to regain for the NCAA Tournament, if the Terps are selected.
Naturally, Kulvik’s award also earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten first team, where he was joined by midfielder Leon Koehl.
Koehl is currently in the process of rehabbing an injury and there is no better example of absence making the heart grow fonder than the way Maryland fans have felt about him while he’s been out. Koehl scored six times for the Terps this year, all from the penalty spot. But more importantly, he was a massively important connecting piece in their midfield.
Two Terps — Max Rogers and Colin Griffith — also made the conference’s second team.
Rogers has made an instant positive impact in his first season transferring from Yale. He not only quickly emerged as a leader, but he has been a great asset on the field as a playmaker. He has scored twice and tallied a team-leading seven assists.
When the Terps were playing their best and ranked No. 2 in the country, much of it was thanks to Griffith. He has also scored six goals, tying Koehl for the team lead, but all of his were from open play, and many he created out of nothing.
Goalkeeper Laurin Mack made the All-Freshman team. Mack has played beyond his years for most of 2024, making some impressive saves in big moments. He has totaled 48 saves and a save percentage of 67.6%, which was a lot better prior to conceding five goals against UCLA.
Finally, graduate Alex Nitzl was awarded Maryland’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. A team captian, Nitzl has been a calming presence for the Terps all season.
Maryland will rely on this core of players to help turn its momentum around heading into the NCAA Tournament.