KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mercer junior forward Will Bagrou made program history Friday as he was named to the All-America Second Team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
Bagrou is the first Mercer men’s soccer player to receive All-America honors, adding to an impressive week in which he additionally became the first player in program history to earn NSCAA All-South Region First Team honors.
The Dacula, Georgia, product is the first All-American from the Southern Conference since Wofford defender Forrest Lasso was named a third-teamer by the NSCAA in 2014. The last time a SoCon player was named to the NSCAA second team was 2012. when Elon forward Chris Thomas and Furman defender Walker Zimmerman both earned honors.
“This is obviously a great moment for Will to earn this honor,” said head coach Brad Ruzzo. “He’s separated himself as one of the best forwards in the country over the last few years and this award verifies his hard work.
“This is the first men’s soccer NSCAA All-American in our program, which is a testament to all the work our student-athletes put forth on a daily basis. Even though this is Will’s award, he’d be the first to say this is a team award because of how his teammates helped him this season.”
A MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and the SoCon Player of the Year, Bagrou totaled 20 points on eight goals and four assists while leading the Bears to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 15 years. The striker’s offensive work championed a Mercer unit that owned six of the 10 fastest goals scored by a SoCon player; Bagrou was responsible for two of the top three (0:26 and 1:30).
The three-time All-SoCon first-team honoree additionally notched a pair of two-goal performances and two game-winning goals this fall. He is the SoCon’s active career leader in points (63) and game-winning goals (nine) while ranking second in assists (13) and third in goals (25).
Bagrou and the 10 other players to earn NSCAA All-South Region first-team honors Tuesday were all spread across the three All-America teams. Bagrou was one of eight to earn All-America second-team honors or better.