By: Noah Hughes, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
ATLANTA – The Centre men's soccer team made a mark on the 2023 Southern Athletic Association (SAA) All-SAA teams as
John Palomino took home the Newcomer of the Year honor and a total of eight Colonels were honored between the First, Second, and Honorable Mention teams.
John Palomino's Newcomer of the Year award is the first major conference award for men's soccer since 2018. The freshman has had a stellar debut season as he leads the team in both goals (5) and assists (4). He has tallied three game-winning goals which slots him second in the SAA. He was also named to the 2023 All-SAA Second Team.
Sota Ippongi is the lone Colonel on the All-SAA First Team. It is the senior's fourth All-SAA honor and second appearance on the First Team. The Lexington, Ky. native has three goals and an assist so far in the 2023 campaign. He scored the game-winner in a pivotal 1-0 win over Hendrix. Ippongi lead the team in shots and shots on goal in that win.
Centre locked down two All-SAA Second Team selections as
John Palomino and
Everett Hauser made the list. Hauser is making his second All-SAA appearance and first on the Second Team. The fifth-year senior added three goals and two assists to the Gold & White effort so far this season. One of those goals was a game-winner over Asbury in the 88th minute of that contest.
Five more Colonels were honored as SAA Honorable Mentions.
Jacob Camacho,
Drew Davidson,
Alec McAlister,
Taylor Nelson, and
Finnegan Deem-Ranzetta made the HM list.
The SAA postseason is in action and Centre is the no. 3 seed. The Colonels face no. 2 seed Rhodes in Atlanta, Ga. On Friday in the SAA Tournament semifinal. Kickoff from the campus of Oglethorpe University is set for 5 p.m. ET.
