Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Fordham on August 21, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
MSOC
Final
James Madison
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vs Fordham
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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Four Dukes Named to Men’s Soccer All-State Teams
1/23/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
DANVILLE, Va. – James Madison was represented by four student-athletes on the Virginia Sports Information Directors All-State Men's Soccer University Division Teams, the organization announced on Thursday afternoon.
Juniors Sebastian Conlon and Kevin Larsson and sophomore Luca Nikolai were named to the First Team, while redshirt senior Josiah Blanton was tabbed to the Second Team.
Earning his second all-state selection of his career after a second team nod in 2022, Conlon adds to his postseason accolades. The Reston, Va. native was tabbed the Sun Belt Conference Goalkeeper of the Year while also collecting first team honors for the All-Sun Belt and United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region teams. He logged 1687:23 minutes by starting all 19 matches this season, finishing the season with a goals against average of 0.85 with 62 saves and a .795 save percentage. He recorded seven shutouts, improving his career total to 16 to sit tied for ninth in a JMU career. At the conclusion of the regular season, Conlon led the Sun Belt in save percentage and minutes played, tied for the lead in shutouts, and ranked second in goals against average and tied for second in saves and third in shutouts per match.
Larsson was named all-state for the first time in his career, as the midfielder played in 17 matches with 16 starts. He received his second consecutive All-Sun Belt Second Team nod after contributing four goals and an assist in the regular season and then scoring the game-winner against UCF in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals. All five of his goals in 2024 came against Sun Belt opponents, notching his second and third career braces in the process. The lone assist come on the game-winning goal against then-14th-ranked Georgetown.
For the first time in his career, Nikolai adds an all-state laurel to his list of accolades. The defender became the third player in program history to win a defensive major award as he was tabbed the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, the first Duke to earn such an award since 2020. He was also tabbed to the first team on the All-Sun Belt and All-Region teams while also earning a second team nod for the All-ECAC team. He finished ranked 38th in the country by TopDrawerSoccer, as the Dukes ranked 12th nationally in save percentage (.800), 17th in goals against average (.842) and 24th in shutout percentage (.421). On the offensive side of the ball, Nikolai scored four goals and had two assists for 10 points. He led all defenders in the Sun Belt in goals and was one of two defenders to post 10 points.
A Second Team All-State selection as a defender for the second time in his career, Blanton started 16 matches this season. He played on the opposite side along the backline of Nikolai to aid the Dukes ranking in the top 25 of the country in save percentage, goals against average and shutout percentage. During the season, TopDrawerSoccer ranked him 91st in its midseason top 100 list. The Roswell, Ga. native helped on offense in addition to his defensive efforts, scoring in back-to-back matches against Radford and Marshall and assisting on the opening goal against UCF in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals.
Juniors Sebastian Conlon and Kevin Larsson and sophomore Luca Nikolai were named to the First Team, while redshirt senior Josiah Blanton was tabbed to the Second Team.
Earning his second all-state selection of his career after a second team nod in 2022, Conlon adds to his postseason accolades. The Reston, Va. native was tabbed the Sun Belt Conference Goalkeeper of the Year while also collecting first team honors for the All-Sun Belt and United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region teams. He logged 1687:23 minutes by starting all 19 matches this season, finishing the season with a goals against average of 0.85 with 62 saves and a .795 save percentage. He recorded seven shutouts, improving his career total to 16 to sit tied for ninth in a JMU career. At the conclusion of the regular season, Conlon led the Sun Belt in save percentage and minutes played, tied for the lead in shutouts, and ranked second in goals against average and tied for second in saves and third in shutouts per match.
Larsson was named all-state for the first time in his career, as the midfielder played in 17 matches with 16 starts. He received his second consecutive All-Sun Belt Second Team nod after contributing four goals and an assist in the regular season and then scoring the game-winner against UCF in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals. All five of his goals in 2024 came against Sun Belt opponents, notching his second and third career braces in the process. The lone assist come on the game-winning goal against then-14th-ranked Georgetown.
For the first time in his career, Nikolai adds an all-state laurel to his list of accolades. The defender became the third player in program history to win a defensive major award as he was tabbed the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, the first Duke to earn such an award since 2020. He was also tabbed to the first team on the All-Sun Belt and All-Region teams while also earning a second team nod for the All-ECAC team. He finished ranked 38th in the country by TopDrawerSoccer, as the Dukes ranked 12th nationally in save percentage (.800), 17th in goals against average (.842) and 24th in shutout percentage (.421). On the offensive side of the ball, Nikolai scored four goals and had two assists for 10 points. He led all defenders in the Sun Belt in goals and was one of two defenders to post 10 points.
A Second Team All-State selection as a defender for the second time in his career, Blanton started 16 matches this season. He played on the opposite side along the backline of Nikolai to aid the Dukes ranking in the top 25 of the country in save percentage, goals against average and shutout percentage. During the season, TopDrawerSoccer ranked him 91st in its midseason top 100 list. The Roswell, Ga. native helped on offense in addition to his defensive efforts, scoring in back-to-back matches against Radford and Marshall and assisting on the opening goal against UCF in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals.
Players Mentioned
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