MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer player Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.) was named the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week for the week of October 20-26, it was announced today by the league.
Vera earns the award for the second week in a row. The honor marks the eighth time this season that Wheaton men's soccer has been recognized by the NEWMAC with a weekly accolade, which is a program record. Other honorees include senior Leao Nelson (Bar Harbor, Maine), who was named the Defensive Athlete of the Week twice (October 13-19 and September 8-14), junior Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.) was named the top offensive player for the weeks of September 29 to October 5 and August 25-31, while seniors Baden McLaughlin (Yarmouth, Maine) (September 1-7) and Aidan Doyle (Kinston, Mass.) (September 22-28) both received the offensive honor this season as well.
The forward tallied at least one goal in both of Wheaton's games and ended the week with three markers. The sophomore scored just 35 seconds into the Lyons' match with visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute and scored again just 3:27 later to set the tone in a 4-0 win over the Engineers on October 22. Vera capped the week by scoring with just 4:58 to play in the game to pull Wheaton even in a 1-1 road tie with United States Coast Guard Academy on October 25 to keep the Lyons' unbeaten streak intact at 16 straight games. Vera has now scored at least one goal in five straight matches to become the first Wheaton player to do so since 2016.
For the season, the Oakmont Regional High School product has produced 21 points on eight goals and five assists to rank third in the conference in points and second in both goals and assists. Vera has started all 16 matches for Wheaton and has notched at least one point in 10 contests this season.
The Marketing major has started 26 of 33 career games, while netting 10 goals to go with six assists to give him 26 points during his time in Norton.
The Lyons are currently one of 13 unbeaten teams in the nation with a 12-0-4 mark. Wheaton is also ranked 10th in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Lyons are tied for seventh among NCAA Division III teams with an impressive .875 winning percentage and its unbeaten streak to begin the season is the longest in school history. Wheaton is currently seventh in the nation in goals per game (3.19), fourth in total goal differential (41) and 21st in goals against average (.625).
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, October 28 when they travel to Babson Park, Mass. to take on NEWMAC rival Babson College for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff.
