New York Red Bulls Academy product Adam Najem and Akron advanced to the NCAA Final Four in Kansas City with a win in the Quarterfinals last weekend. Eleven teams, made up of 24 New York Red Bulls Academy products, qualified for the NCAA Tournament and three of those teams made it to the Elite Eight.
The following is a list of New York Red Bulls Academy products in the 2015 NCAA Soccer Championship:
No. 4 Akron: Adam Najem (MID) – Adam Najem scored the game-winning goal on a free kick in the 102nd minute to lift his team over No. 12 Creighton in the Quarterfinals, 3-2. The double overtime goal sends Akron to Kansas City as a member of the Final Four. The junior has tallied one goal and two assists in three 2015 NCAA Tournament matches. Akron will face No. 8 Stanford in the Final Four on Dec. 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET (TV:ESPN U) for the right to advance to the NCAA Championship.
No. 10 Maryland: Mael Corboz (MID) – Maryland tied No. 2 Clemson, 1-1, but were eliminated in penalty kicks, 3-1. Mael Corboz recorded four shots, played the entire 120 minutes of the match and converted the Terps’ lone penalty kick in the shootout. The senior had three assists in three 2015 NCAA Tournament games.
No. 1 Wake Forest: Steven Echevarria (MID), Kevin Politz (DEF) – Top-seeded Wake Forest fell in overtime to No. 8 Stanford, 2-1. U.S. international Jordan Morris opened the scoring early for Stanford in the 18th minute, only to see the Demon Deacons level the match in the 70th minute. Stanford grabbed the winner in overtime at the 97th minute to advance to the Final Four. Steven Echevarria and Kevin Politz did not play in the match.
* – Eliminated from NCAA Tournament
