Emory University was selected for the NCAA Division III national tournament, its first berth since 1998. Emory reached the postseason by receiving one of four national at-large bids extended by the NCAA. The Eagles eventually were eliminated in the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament.
Emory finished the season with a final ranking of No. 20 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). That was its highest end-of-season ranking since 1989. The Eagles compiled a 16-3-1 record, tying a school record for most wins in a season.
Offensively, Emory finished the season ranked 19th in the nation in goals per game (final NCAA statistics announced in January). The Eagles' defense ranked 28th in the nation in team goals against average. The squad's 0.69 GAA set a school record. The unit also notched eight shutouts, second-highest total in 17 years.
Unranked in the national pre-season poll, the Eagles began the season with a school-best 12-0-1 start. During that stretch, the squad compiled Emory firsts of an 11-game winning streak and eight consecutive road wins.
The turning point came in the seventh game, against regional rival Greensboro (N.C.), then ranked No. 6 in the country. The Eagles traveled to Greensboro and beat it, 3-1, for Emory's first-ever road win in the series between the two teams.
As a result of that win, Emory jumped in the national poll from unranked to No. 4 in the country, tying the biggest jump ever by a Division III team, according to available NSCAA records. At one point, Emory was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation, and in all, spent seven weeks in the national top five. Emory also took over as the top team in the South regional polls after the Greensboro victory and held on to that spot for the next eight weeks to conclude the season.
Matthew Levine became the fifth Eagle to win conference Player of the Year honor and was one of a school-record five players selected for the University Athletic Association all-conference first team. An Emory player was chosen as the conference "Athlete of the Week" nine times, the second-highest total in school history and the most since 1998 when 11 were chosen.
The following Emory players received individual post-season honors:
All-Region (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) | ||
Matthew Levine | First Team | Princeton, NJ (Princeton) |
Karl Dix | First Team | Snellville, GA (Brookwood) |
All-Conference (University Athletic Association) | ||
Matthew Levine | First Team | Princeton, NJ (Princeton) |
Karl Dix | First Team | Snellville, GA (Brookwood) |
Chris Nehls | First Team | Boulder, CO (Fairview) |
Anthony Esposito | First Team | New Port Richey, FL (Jesuit) |
Kevin McCarthy | First Team | St. Louis, MO (St. Louis Univeristy) |
Chris Scharer | Honorable Mention | Humble, TX (The American School in London) |
Rohit Agarwal
In his first season as a full-time starter, sophomore Rohit Agarwal
helped Emory set a school record for team goals against average
(0.69). His 14 goals allowed tied the fewest by an Emory goalie in
the last 19 years. Agarwal allowed no more than one goal in each of
Emory's first 13 contests. He notched four shutouts on the season
and shared four more. With a current career goals against average
of 0.69, Agarwal is on pace to break the existing record of 0.91.
Jon Arost
Junior forward Jon Arost scored a career-high 10 goals and added
six assists. Against Shorter (Ga.) on Sept. 4, he scored the second
hat trick of his career. In both of his career hat tricks, teammate
Anthony Esposito had three assists, one of four times in Emory
history where teammates racked up three goals and three assists in
the same contest. Arost's three goals were the most by an Eagle in
one game this season. Arost finished the season third on the squad
in goals. He was the only non-defensive player on the team to start
all 20 games this season. Arost ranks 11th in the Emory record
books for career points, goals, and assists.
Karl Dix
Sophomore Karl Dix totaled 18 assists on the season, good for
second in the nation in the last NCAA Division III regular-season
report (final NCAA statistics announced in January). That assist
total is the third highest ever in a season by an Eagle. Dix added
six goals, including the game winner against regional rival
Greensboro (N.C.). In an Oct. 17 game against Case Western Reserve
(Ohio), Dix tied a conference and Emory record with three assists.
He and teammate Anthony Esposito were the only UAA players to have
as many as three assists in a game this season. Dix finished the
season third on the team in points.
Anthony Esposito
The junior midfielder netted one goal and eight assists for a
career-best 10 points. Esposito missed two games and all but eight
minutes of the team's NCAA tournament game due to injury. In an
Oct. 5 game against Shorter (Ga.), Esposito registered three
assists to tie an Emory record shared by five players. It was the
second three-assist game of his career. Five of his eight assists
this season came on game-tying or winning goals. Esposito was
selected for the all-conference first team, his second consecutive
year with all-conference honors. Esposito is tied for ninth
all-time at Emory for career assists (20).
Andrew Goldberg
At forward, Andrew Goldberg recorded four goals and six assists for
14 points. The senior also chipped in with one game-winning goal.
Goldberg ranks 15th all-time in school history for career goals
(18) and 16th in career points (48). He was named Emory "Athlete of
the Week" one time. His best game was against Huntingdon (Ala.)
where he had a goal and two assists.
Matthew Levine
Senior forward Matthew Levine became the fifth Eagle to be honored
as the University Athletic Association's Player of the Year. Levine
was selected to the all-conference first team for the third
straight year, a feat accomplished by only two other players in
Emory history. Levine began the season with a 10-game goal-scoring
streak that included three multi-goal games. He finished it leading
the Eagles in goals (15) and points (35). He was ranked nationally
as high as eighth and ninth, respectively, in those categories.
Levine finished his collegiate career with 120 points, 49 goals,
and 22 assists, totals that rank second, third, and sixth in the
school record book.
Kevin McCarthy
In addition to making the all-conference first team, Kevin McCarthy
was a part of a defense that recorded a school-record 0.69 team
goals against average. His efforts on defense helped Emory rank No.
28 in the nation in NCAA's last Division III regular season report
(final NCAA statistics announced in January). The junior sweeper
helped the team allow 17 fewer goals this season than last
season--the biggest single-season improvement in goals against in
school history.
Chris Nehls
Senior Chris Nehls was second on the team in both goals and points
despite starting only three games on the season. Nehls was chosen
to the all-conference first team in a season when he scored a
career-best 13 goals that ranks 14th at Emory for goals in a
season. Nehls finished his career in the top 15 at Emory in career
goals. His best game came against Brandeis (Mass.) when he scored
twice and assisted twice.
Chris Scharer
Senior defender Chris Scharer received honorable mention for the
all-conference team for the first time in his career. His efforts
on defense were seen in Emory recording a team goals against
average of 0.69 that ranked No. 28 in the nation in NCAA's final
Division III regular season report (final NCAA statistics announced
in January). His play helped the team allow 17 fewer goals this
season than last season--the biggest single-season improvement in
goals against in school history. Scharer finished his Emory career
with two goals and five assists.
Written by Ang Wu, Emory sports information assistant.