Bell is the best in conference

It continues to be a special season for the Milwaukee Panthers men’s soccer team. Today, junior midfielder Laurie Bell was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, as the conference all-league teams and individual award winners were announced.

Bell becomes just the third player in the program’s history to earn this honor and the first since 2004.

He was also selected as the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Horizon League First-Team for a second straight season.

Bell definitely deserved all three of these honors as he has developed into the top offensive player in conference this season. He leaded the conference in goals (12) and points (28), while also ranking in the top 10 in both of these categories in the NCAA.

Senior defenseman Andrew Stone joined Bell on the first team. This is his first and only season with the Panthers after transferring from Green Bay before last season. Stone played on the backline for the Panthers, and was one of the main reasons for the defenses stellar performance this year.

The Panthers also had two players selected to the All-Horizon League Second-Team. Senior forward Robbie Boyd earned this selection after finishing as one of the top offensive players for Milwaukee. He had three goals and five assists for 11 points to finish off his senior season as a Panther.

Junior midfielder Luke Goodnetter was also selected to the second team. In Goodnetter’s first season with Milwaukee, after sitting out all last season after transferring from Green Bay, he became a starter while recording two goals and four assists for eight points. His biggest play of the season may have been when he scored against Valparaiso from 32 yards out, which was named the College Goal of the Week.

These four players all had a phenomenal season for the Panthers as the led the team to 13 wins and a second seed in the conference tournament. It has been a special season for the Milwaukee Panthers, but it is not over yet as they still try to reach their goal of winning the conference tournament.