SoCon Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman forward Caleb Johnson and keeper Ivan Horvat have been named Southern Conference men’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week for matches held from September 9-15.

Johnson (Atlanta, GA / Hillgrove HS) scored the game winner for then No. 9 Furman in a 4-1 road win over No. 8 Gardner-Webb Friday night. He stripped the home team’s keeper in the fourth minute and scored to highlight an early blitz by the Paladins that resulted in a 2-0 lead less than five minutes in. Johnson finished the night with two shots on goal. He had a shot in Furman’s scoreless draw at No. 5 Virginia Tech earlier in the week. The junior has been in the starting lineup in the last three matches for the Paladins and has two goals and an assist so far this season to his credit.

Horvat (Bratislava, Slovakia / Darlington School) captured his second SoCon weekly honor of the season with a pair of brilliant performances for the Paladins. In Tuesday’s scoreless draw at No. 5 Virginia Tech, Horvat stopped all eight shots he faced in 90 minutes to record his third clean sheet of the season – and second against a nationally-ranked opponent. He made six saves in the win at No. 8 Gardner-Webb on Friday night, with his lone goal allowed coming on a penalty kick. Horvat has played 417 minutes this season, posting a 3-0-2 mark with 18 saves.

Furman (4-0-3) moved up to No. 3 in the Top Drawer Soccer Men’s Top 25 poll on Monday and jumped into the top 10 in the College Soccer News poll. The Paladins host College of Charleston on Tuesday at 6:00 pm in Greenville, their lone match of the week after a brutal early-season slate that saw Coach Doug Allison’s squad do battle with four top 10 opponents.

Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week: Jaime Carrillo (ETSU), Jesse Lee (VMI).

Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week: Albert Montragull (ETSU).

2025 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week

Aug. 26 - Enzo Dovlo, Jr., F, UNC Greensboro (Paris, France)

Sep. 2 - Landon Hill, Jr., MF, Furman (Lewis Center, OH)

Sep. 9 - Steven Hernandez, R-Jr., F, UNC Greensboro (Winston-Salem, NC)

Sep. 16 - Caleb Johnson, Jr., F, Furman (Atlanta, GA)

2025 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week

Aug. 26 - Ivan Horvat, R-Fr., GK, Furman (Bratislava, Croatia)

Sep. 2 - Sami Lachekar, Sr., D, UNC Greensboro (Metz, France)

Sep. 9 - Henry Hampshaw, So., GK, Mercer (Holmfirth, England)

Sep. 16 - Ivan Horvat, R-Fr., GK, Furman (Bratislava, Croatia)