EK
Erick Karkut
  • Psychology
  • Class of 2018
  • Mount Prospect, IL

Erick Karkut of Mount Prospect Makes MWC Men's Soccer All-Conference Team

2017 Dec 21

Five Knox College men's soccer players were named to the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer All-Conference Team.

Players include:

Erick Karkut of Mount Prospect, IL

Knox College's Phelipe Graske garnered the league's Defensive Player of the Year award for the second-straight season. Joining Graske on the first team are Rocky Plaza and Lucas Sanchez. Alessandro Benelli earned Newcomer of the Year and a spot on the second team along with Erick Karkut.

Graske led Knox to an 8-0-1 conference record this fall and a share of the MWC regular season championship. With Graske's back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards, a Knox player has now won the honor for four consecutive seasons. The Prairie Fire's Charles Edemba won the award in 2014 and 2015. Graske is just the fourth player in conference history to win the award multiple times. The senior spearheaded a defense that allowed less than a goal per game (0.80) and allow just one goal in the conference regular season.

The Prairie Fire defense also produced the league's Newcomer of the Year, Alessandro Benelli. Benelli was named to the second team and was the only first-year to make All-MWC. On the season, Benelli, Graske and the rest of the Knox defense produced 12 shutouts, which is a new MWC single-season record.

Rocky Plaza and Lucas Sanchez each earned first team All-MWC honors along with Graske. Sanchez scored the second most goals on the team (eight) and led the team in assists (four) and points (20). Plaza picked up an assist while also contributing extensively on the defensive end. It was his second year on the first team.

Leading goal scorer Erick Karkut also earned second team All-MWC honors. He scored nine goals, including five on penalty kicks and four game-winners, and added an assist.

"Firstly, congratulations to Phil, Lucas, Rocky, Ale, and Erick. They earned these individual honors and placing five guys on both teams shows what type of season we had in conference play," said head coach Tyler Sheikh. "Phelipe was undoubtedly the best defender in conference the past two seasons and he passes the baton to Alessandro Benelli to hopefully take up the mantle of leading one of the best defenses in the region. Ale has a bright future at Knox. Lucas finally got his due as one of the outstanding midfielders in the region. He's a box to box player who can do it all and there isn't a starting lineup in conference where he wouldn't have been wearing the #10 jersey. Erick did fantastic to shut down the right side of defense all season and his 8 goals from the right-back position was necessary for the wins we accumulated. Rocky was Rocky. He's a dominant defensive midfielder and helped us with those shutouts, but also did a good job of linking our attack. He'll be one of the better midfielders in the country next season."