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Writer's pictureDan Stickradt
Nov 206 min read

CAMPUS CLIPS: Flint City Bucks, Flint City AFC players rack up 2024 collegiate honors



(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list the photo credit as well.)


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30-plus USL-League Two and USL-W League players reach NCAA Tournament

 

FLINT, Mich. – This fall season, alumni of the Flint City Bucks and Flint City AFC have been representing Flint City in a big way with their collegiate sides across the county.

 

Bucks head coach Paul Doroh was named Horizon League Coach of the Year for leading Oakland University to a regular-season title in his first year at the helm.

 

Colin Innes, who played in the Bucks’ midfield in 2024, served as an assistant coach for the Summit League winners University of Missouri-Kansas City.

 

Below, check out some achievements by some incredible student-athletes that have donned Flint City Bucks and Flint City AFC jerseys in recent years:

 

(All facts and figures are current as of Monday, Nov. 18.)

 

Five Bucks Zip to the tourney with Akron

 

The Big East Conference regular-season champions Akron University were led by an incredible five players from the Bucks, including Big East Goalkeeper of the Year Mitch Budler. The talented Budler has recorded eight shutouts in 19 starts, amassing 48 saves along the way.

 

Budler was named to the Big East Conference First Team along with Dyson Clapier, who has scored four goals and assisted another eight enroute to the NCAA Tournament.

 

Malik Henry made the Big East Second Team, and Jonas Büechte was named to the Big East Third Team. Ashton Kamdem has started 17 games at the back.

 

Werthman, Blackburn, Canada lead Western Michigan

 

Big names in Flint City AFC fandom are also big in Kalamazoo, where a trio of stars shone brightly this fall for the Western Michigan University Broncos.

 

Abby Werthman had 12 goals and nine assists as WMU won the Mid-American Conference Tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Werthman was named to the MAC first team in addition to MAC Tournament MVP honors.

 

Jenna Blackburn had four goals and eight assists, earning a place on the All-MAC Second Team. Madi Canada added a goal and six assists.

 

Michigan State ladies move on past Broncos

 

Flint’s connection with the Western Michigan women’s soccer team were defeated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Michigan State University, which included four more familiar faces.

 

Justina Gaynor has five goals and six assists for the Spartans. Gabby Mueller has a goal and three assists. Remini Tillotson has an assist in 18 appearances on the back line, and midfielder Sophia Piotrowski has earned five starts.

 

Mueller also earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.


Midfielders of the year: Adedokun and Gjerde

 

Michael Adedokun was named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, in addition to All-Big Ten Conference First-Team honors. He led the conference with 27 points (eight goals and 11 assists), and also led Ohio State University to another NCAA Tournament appearance.

 

Eskil Gjerde was named Co-Midfielder of the Year for the Missouri Valley Conference. He started every single match for Drake University.

 

AFC players collect accolades

 

Grace Phillpotts was named to the All-Southeastern Conference First Team for the tourney-qualified University of Kentucky. The senior defender has a goal and four assists in 20 starts.

 

Hailey Baumann was named to the Big Ten Conference Second Team for the NCAA Division I tourney-bound University of Wisconsin. The sophomore defender has a goal and three assists in 19 starts.

 

Mac Midgley (four goals and two assists in 20 starts) was named to the All-SEC Third Team for the University of Tennessee, alongside teammate Sammi Woods (five goals and three assists in 19 starts). They both assisted UT’s only tourney goal in a 2-1 loss.

 

Bella Gaetino was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team for the University of North Carolina, where she plays with Olivia Thomas. Gaetino, currently deployed this season in a center back role, has already scored in UNC’s NCAA Tournament opening victory.

 

Olivia Rush (Indiana University) is on the CSC Academic All-District Team.

 

Other Flint City AFC players who qualified for the NCAA Tournament include Maya Carter and Tatum Galvin (Virginia); Claire Hammill (Rutgers); Randie Foor (Notre Dame); Ellie Fife (Vanderbilt); and Peighton Northrup (Ohio State).

 

Nine more Bucks honored, nine more in the dance

 

Palmer Ault racked up five goals and six assists in his junior year at Butler University, earning All-Big East Conference Second-team honors along with teammate Joost de Schutter. Completing the trio, Josemir Gomez (eight goals, two assists) was named to the All-Big East Conference Third Team.

 

Abdul Al-Rashed had four goals and an assist in just 762 minutes, earning Horizon League Second Team honors in his junior season at Oakland University. His Golden Grizzlies won the regular season title in the Horizon League but feel in the Horizon League Championship Tournament finals to Robert Morris University.

 

Barzee Blama (five goals, two assists) followed up Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors with a Southern Conference Second-Team placement at Mercer University.

 

Brock Pickett earned Horizon League Third Team accolades at Wright State University. The midfielder was also named to the conference all-academic team.

 

A couple of Bucks made their marks at Bowling Green University, with Beto Anaya (three goals, nine assists) making the Missouri Valley Conference First Team and goalkeeper Brendan Graves (six clean sheets, 79 saves in 20 starts) earned a nod on the All- Missouri Valley Conference Second Team.

 

Mzo Mthembu made the All-GLIAC Second Team with Saginaw Valley State University alongside Jonny Monney. The Cardinals claimed the conference title.

 

Other Flint City Bucks players whose teams qualified for the men’s NCAA Tournament, which begins Nov. 21, include Pierre Lurot (Michigan), Nolan Miller (Michigan) and Matthew Fisher (Michigan); Landon Fisher (Western Michigan); Pasha Dashin (Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville) and Stephan Moreira (SIU-E); Kai Phillip (Evansville) and Baraka Tarleton (Evansville); and Wes Carnevale (Cornell).

 

For more information on the Flint City Bucks or Flint City AFC, visit https://www.flintcitybucks.com/.

 

OLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER: Survive and

(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)


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(MSN will compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in results from high school varsity, club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/reportascore. Please submit the competing teams, location and date of game, final score, overall and league records, goals, assists, goalkeepers and saves, standout defenders, players of the match, and any other pertinent details of the game. If there are courtesy action photos available, feel free to submit them at the above-listed emails.)

 

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(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com  and also list photo credit as well.)





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Contact both Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner at 248-525-2083 or jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com and Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at (248) 525-2349 and dstickradt@thepremeiermediagrp.com.

 




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