University of Massachusets Athletics
Hughes Headlines Postseason Honors as A-10's First 3x Offensive Player of the Year
November 13, 2024 | Men's Soccer
Alec Hughes and Aidan Kelly named to First Team All-Conference, Mike Willis tabs All-Academic Team selection
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Graduate forward Alec Hughes claimed Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year honors for the third-straight year to headline four postseason awards for the Massachusetts men's soccer program the league announced on Wednesday morning.
Hughes is the first player in conference history to be named A-10 Offensive Player of the Year three times, earning Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and winning the honor outright in back-to-back years (2023, 2024). The Glastonbury, Conn. native is the first Minutemen since Jeff Deren (2001, 2002) to win the award in consecutive years.
The graduate forward was also named to the league's All-Conference First Team for the fourth time in his career, joining teammate defender Aidan Kelly who makes his second All-Conference selection. This is the first time in Kelly's career to earn First Team All-Conference, the junior center back tabbed Second Team All-Conference last year.
Mike Willis rounds out the end-of-season honors for UMass, earning the Minutemen's only All-Academic Team selection this year.
Alec Hughes made 14 appearances during the regular season, starting in 13 contests. Despite missing three games, Hughes finished the season as the Atlantic 10's top goal scorer with 14 total. The graduate forward added one assist for 29 points on the year, good for second in the conference. Hughes caught fire in early September, scoring 10 goals in the span of five games including two hat tricks (Sep. 11 vs. UML, Sep. 17 vs. Dartmouth) in three games. The Glastonbury, Conn. native closed the regular season on a scoring streak, tallying four goals in the last three games. One of the four goals came in the form of the game-winning tally against No. 23 Duquesne. The graduate forward finished the season Top-10 in the country for goals scored (4th), goals per game (4th), total points (9th), and points per game (6th). With Hughes at the helm, UMass became the 9th best offense in the nation in addition to ranking 7th in the NCAA for total goals scored.
Aidan Kelly started all 17 games for the minutemen, the center back has been instrumental to the Minutemen's Top-5 A-10 defense in goals allowed, opponent scoring average, and margin of victory. Kelly has played just under 1600 minutes this season for UMass, scoring three goals and recording two assists for eight points. The Belfast, Northern Ireland native's most recent goal came in the form of a game-winner against Rhode Island on the road. The junior defender has helped the Minutemen rank T-22nd in the nation for shutout percentage, contributing to seven clean sheets this year.
Mike Willis played in all 17 games, starting in 15 and logging over 1200 minutes for UMass. Willis has recorded one goal and three assists for five points on the year, including a goal and assist in the Minutemen's 4-3 win over Yale in September. Massachusetts boasts a Top-5 A-10 defense in goals allowed, opponent scoring average, and margin of victory The graduate midfielder has helped the Minutemen rank T-22nd in the nation for shutout percentage, contributing to seven clean sheets this year.
Hughes is the first player in conference history to be named A-10 Offensive Player of the Year three times, earning Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and winning the honor outright in back-to-back years (2023, 2024). The Glastonbury, Conn. native is the first Minutemen since Jeff Deren (2001, 2002) to win the award in consecutive years.
The graduate forward was also named to the league's All-Conference First Team for the fourth time in his career, joining teammate defender Aidan Kelly who makes his second All-Conference selection. This is the first time in Kelly's career to earn First Team All-Conference, the junior center back tabbed Second Team All-Conference last year.
Mike Willis rounds out the end-of-season honors for UMass, earning the Minutemen's only All-Academic Team selection this year.
Alec Hughes made 14 appearances during the regular season, starting in 13 contests. Despite missing three games, Hughes finished the season as the Atlantic 10's top goal scorer with 14 total. The graduate forward added one assist for 29 points on the year, good for second in the conference. Hughes caught fire in early September, scoring 10 goals in the span of five games including two hat tricks (Sep. 11 vs. UML, Sep. 17 vs. Dartmouth) in three games. The Glastonbury, Conn. native closed the regular season on a scoring streak, tallying four goals in the last three games. One of the four goals came in the form of the game-winning tally against No. 23 Duquesne. The graduate forward finished the season Top-10 in the country for goals scored (4th), goals per game (4th), total points (9th), and points per game (6th). With Hughes at the helm, UMass became the 9th best offense in the nation in addition to ranking 7th in the NCAA for total goals scored.
Aidan Kelly started all 17 games for the minutemen, the center back has been instrumental to the Minutemen's Top-5 A-10 defense in goals allowed, opponent scoring average, and margin of victory. Kelly has played just under 1600 minutes this season for UMass, scoring three goals and recording two assists for eight points. The Belfast, Northern Ireland native's most recent goal came in the form of a game-winner against Rhode Island on the road. The junior defender has helped the Minutemen rank T-22nd in the nation for shutout percentage, contributing to seven clean sheets this year.
Mike Willis played in all 17 games, starting in 15 and logging over 1200 minutes for UMass. Willis has recorded one goal and three assists for five points on the year, including a goal and assist in the Minutemen's 4-3 win over Yale in September. Massachusetts boasts a Top-5 A-10 defense in goals allowed, opponent scoring average, and margin of victory The graduate midfielder has helped the Minutemen rank T-22nd in the nation for shutout percentage, contributing to seven clean sheets this year.
Players Mentioned
UMass MSOC | Broadcast Highlights vs. Stonehill | 09.01.25
Tuesday, September 02
UMass MSOC | Broadcast Highlights vs. Quinnipiac | 08.28.25
Friday, August 29
UMass Men's Soccer | Highlights vs. Quinnipiac | 25.08.28
Friday, August 29
UMass Men's Soccer | Highlights vs. Siena | 08.21.25
Friday, August 22