MIAMI (Dec. 7 2021) – FIU men's soccer placed four Panthers on the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's All-Southeast Region Team, the committee announced on Tuesday. 
 
Junior forward Stephen Afrifa was named to the All-Southeast Region First Team, while senior center back Kareem Riley and 2021 Conference USA Freshman of the Year Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro were named to the Second Team. Defensive midfielder Matteo Gasperoni also earned a spot on the All-Southeast Region Third Team.

"Really proud of these guys," said Head Coach Kyle Russell. "We preach to the players that when there is team success, individual awards follow. These guys have focused on helping the team all year long and I'm glad they received this honor. Three out of four of the guys are returning [next season] so the future of FIU soccer is something to be very excited about."
 
Click here for complete United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region release.
 
Afrifa led all Panthers in goals scored (8), points (19), shots-on-goal (25), shot attempts (47), and game-winning goals (4), while also logging three assists during the 2021 season. The Canadian forward led all of Conference USA in shot attempts, shots-on-goal, and game-winning goals during C-USA play in the regular season. Afrifa started 18 games for FIU while leading all Panther attacking players with a total of 1,094 minutes played.

In addition to the All-Region recognition, Afrifa was named to the 2021 All-Conference USA First Team back in November.

Riley anchored FIU's talented backline, starting all 18 games and leading the Blue & Gold with 1,613 minutes played. The native of Trinidad & Tobago was an iron man for FIU, logging a full 90 minutes-or-more in 16 contests this season. The team captain helped FIU secure seven clean sheets, marking the most in the regular season by the program since the 2003 campaign. On the offensive side, Riley scored five goals while successfully converting on four penalty kick opportunities. The five goals from Riley lead all FIU defenders and ranked third overall on the team.
 
Along with the All-Region recognition, Riley was earned 2021 All-Conference First Team honors this year and was a selection to the C-USA All-Tournament Team.

Dos Santos Monteiro enjoyed a dazzling rookie year and finished second on FIU with 15 total points, including seven goals and one assist. Within the league, Dos Santos Monteiro finished the regular-season ranked third in scoring, while pacing the conference in all major offensive categories among freshman. The freshman from Portugal recorded 39 shot attempts for the Blue & Gold during the regular season, with 11 shots placed on-target. Dos Santos Monteiro logged 1,063 minutes on the year while playing in all 18 games for FIU.

Additionally, Dos Santos Monteiro was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's Top 100 Freshman list at the mid-season point, coming in at No. 23 in the country.

Gasperoni appeared in 17 games in FIU's defensive midfield while making 16 starts and recording a total of 1,206 minutes. Gasperoni logged five points, including two goals and one assist, while also firing 14 shot attempts including seven on-goal. Gasperoni caught fire near the end of the season, scoring in FIU's victory over No. 1 ranked Marshall to win the C-USA regular-season title on Nov. 5, then scoring again on Nov. 21 against Wake Forest in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The Italian native was a stalwart in the midfield, helping the Panthers win and keep possession while creating space and chances for his teammates.

Gasperoni also earned a selection to the All-CUSA First Team following the regular season, as well as a spot on the C-USA All-Tournament Team.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news.Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).