MEDFORD, MA (November 12, 2025) -- The Tufts University men's soccer team, coming off its fourth New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title Sunday afternoon, was honored with five All-NESCAC honorees with the release of the 2025 All-NESCAC squads, as voted on by the league coaches and put out by the conference.
Tufts saw senior
Nikola Antic earn All-NESCAC in goal, while juniors
Henry Brown,
Xavier Canfin and
Bijan Akhtarzandi-Das joined him on the First Team. Senior
Daniel Yanez picked up his second career All-NESCAC Second Team honor as well in the midfield. The five All-NESCAC player for Tufts is the most since the 2021 season for the Jumbos, which also sported four First Team honorees and a Second Teamer.
The Jumbos got a fantastic season out of Antic in his senior season, as the backstop has allowed just nine goals all season, lowest in the NESCAC. Antic leads the NESCAC in goals against average with a .516 mark, while his 10 shutouts are the most ine NESCAC. He also posted a stretch during the season where he went a full month without allowing a goal. It was the first career conference award for Antic.
The defensive unit was anchored by Akhtarzandi-Das this season, as the center back continued the long list of stellar backs to come through the Jumbos program. Akhtarzandi-Das played and started all 18 games for the Jumbos, playing the most minutes of any field player for the Jumbos. He helped Tufts to 12 shutouts this season, the most of any team in the conference, while doing all of that without picking up one yellow card all season. Tufts allowed 0.50 goals per game so far this season, best in the NESCAC.
The offensive unit flowed between the pair of Brown and Canfin this season, as both were instrumental in the play up front for the Jumbos. Brown finished with a team-high five goals for the Jumbos, seventh in the NESCAC, while adding two assists on the season. Brown was 2-of-3 on penalties as well for the Jumbos, and his work pressing and working defensively also was crucial in helping Tufts as one of the best defensive teams. Brown picks up his third conference award during his career, as he was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2023 and Liberty League Player of the Year in 2024.
Canfin was the Jumbos top scorer in points on the season, tallying four goals while dishing out a team-high six helpers. His six assists were third-most in the NESCAC this season in the uber-defensive conference, while he scored the game-winning goal in the NESCAC title game to help Tufts earn a 1-0 win over Connecticut College. Canfin's work rate also became crucial for the hold up play for the Jumbos. Canfin picked up his second All-NESCAC honor, after earning Second Team last season.
Yanez played in 18 games for the Jumbos, starting 17 times, while posting four goals and assisting on two others. All four of his scores came from the penalty spot this season, while all four were of the game-winning variety as well. Yanez played a large part of helping the Jumbos surrender only 162 shots this season, the fewest of any conference school in 2025. Yanez earns his second All-NESCAC award, also earning Second Team in 2023.
Bowdoin's Tyler Huck was named as the NESCAC Player of the Year, while Conn. College's Max Haberman was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year. JJ Ruehlemann of Williams College was the NESCAC Rookie of the Year, while Wesleyan University was the Coaching Staff of the Year.
Top-seeded Tufts will take on Penn State Harrisburg at Brandeis University Saturday at 11 a.m. in the 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament First Round in Waltham, MA.
--JUMBOS--
