MIAMI (December 8, 2017) – For the first time since the 1996 season, the FIU men's soccer team has players listed among the top collegiate soccer players in the country, as junior forward Santiago Patino (Orlando, Florida/Freedom) and senior midfielder Paul Marie (Saint-Aubin-des-Bois, France) were named to the 2017 NCAA Division I United Soccer Coaches Association All-America Team, the association announced Thursday night. Patino earned First-Team All-America honors, while Marie was tabbed a Third-Team All-America selection.
 
Click here for complete United Soccer Coaches All-America release
 
Patino and Marie are the 10th and 11th players, respectively, in the program's storied history to be named All-American, and the first since Alen Kozic and Igance Moleka were each honored following the 1996 season.   
 
"This is great recognition and a well-deserved honor for two of our players within our program," said FIU men's soccer Head Coach Kevin Nylen. "To be named All-American is a tremendous accomplishment."
 
This year's All-Americans will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the All-America Luncheon on January 20, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Convention.
 
Patino, who was recently named a semifinalist for the prestigious Hermann Trophy – given to the top Division I male and female soccer players in the country, was one of the most prolific offensive players in America during the 2017 season. Patino ended the regular season leading Conference USA in almost all offensive categories, including goals, points, goals-per-game, points-per-game, and game-winners. He was tabbed C-USA Offensive Player of the Week five times on the year, and was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, Player of the Year, the Golden Boot Award recipient, and was named First-Team All-C-USA.
 
On the year, he tallied a total of 35 points and 15 goals, the most the program has seen by an individual player since 1996. He led the nation in goals-per-game and points-per-game for several weeks throughout the season, including top-five rankings in total points and goals. He finished the season third in the nation in goals-per-game and fourth in points-per-outing. His success on the pitch assisted the Panthers in leading the nation in scoring offense (2.78).
 
Patino tallied 10 multi-point matches this season, and four multi-goal affairs, including a three-goal outing against Marshall in a 4-0 win on Oct. 7.
 
"All season Santi scored goals and set himself apart from many as a forward," said Nylen. "I am very happy for his recognition, he earned this award."
 
Marie was an offensive force to be reckoned with himself and one of the veteran leaders on the FIU roster this season. A First Team All-Conference USA selection and a two-time C-USA Player of the Week pick in 2017, Marie finished the year second on the team in points with 22 (8g, 6a), and in the top five in C-USA in multiple offensive categories, including points, goals, points-per-game (1.50), goals-per-game (0.50), assists and assists-per-game (0.35).
 
He logged multiple points in eight matches, including a five-point effort (2g, 1a) at South Carolina on Oct. 14 in a 5-2 win. Marie also scored the lone goal in the Conference USA Tournament semifinal match against Charlotte on Nov. 10 and in the NCAA Tournament second round match at Duke on Nov. 19, and assisted on both goals in the Panthers' 2-0 NCAA first-round tournament win over Omaha on Nov. 16.
 
"Paul ends his career at FIU with a deserving award," said Nylen. "He had a great season for us and more specifically an outstanding career at FIU."
 
This season the Panthers posted a 12-2-4 record and a 6-0-2 mark in Conference USA, earning their first-ever C-USA regular season title. The Blue and Gold finished the regular season with an 11-0-4 record, the first time in school history that the Panthers recorded an undefeated regular season. FIU was also one of only two teams in Division I men's soccer to accomplish the feat, joining Indiana.
 
The Panthers advanced to their 19^th NCAA Championship, and their 11^th at Division I, winning their first-round game against Omaha. 
 
All-Time FIU All-Americans
Les Peterson – 1977
Ben Collins – 1983
Munga Eketebi – 1984, '85, '86
Keith Parkinson – 1985
Robin Fraser – 1987, '88
Don Gillard – 1991
Steve Ralston – 1994, '95
Alen Kozic – 1996, '97
Igance Moleka – 1996
Paul Marie – 2017
Santiago Patino – 2017
 
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