MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Freshman Foot Steps Up the Offense

With a season-ending No. 13 ranking and the third-best scoring offense in the country, the Harvard men’s soccer team had the recipe for greatness this season.

The secret ingredient to the Crimson’s success? Freshman standout and nationally acclaimed forward Andre’ Akpan.

Akpan entered the season amid lofty expectations after being named one of College Soccer News’ Top 100 Freshman to Keep an Eye On—and he certainly lived up to his billing. The Grand Prairie, Texas, native was unanimously named Ivy League Rookie of the Year after leading all Division I freshmen in scoring with 34 points on 11 goals and 12 assists. Akpan’s accolades continued to grow after the season, including spots on the All-Ivy League First Team and the NSCAA Division I All-Northeast Region First Team.

“He’s for sure had the best freshman year out of anyone I’ve ever coached,” Harvard coach John Kerr said. “[He] has the ability to be the best player I’ve coached so far.”

Akpan, who has been playing soccer since he was three years old, has used those years of experience to reach a very high skill level. Not only does he seem to keep the ball glued to his foot on the dribble and to possess an innate talent for finishing plays, but he is also able to beat defenders with his speed, a somewhat unusual quality for a player of his size.

“He’s kind of an anomaly because of his size and his abilities,” captain Charles Altchek said of the 6’0 freshman. “[He has the] ability to do things all over the field that guys his size usually can’t do.”

Most notable, however, is Akpan’s ability to create plays—not only for himself, but also for his teammates. He has a keen sense of the rhythms of the game and of the movements of the players around him, making him an especially creative player.

He also possesses a great deal of composure in tense situations, especially when presented with a scoring opportunity.

“He’s able to concentrate and find openings to get his shot off,” said Kerr, also noting that when Akpan takes these shots inside the box, “he usually scores.”

Akpan made headlines away from Harvard’s campus as well, being invited to try out for the U.S. Under-20 National Team.

After making the squad, Akpan helped his team win the Group A qualifying tournament in Panama in late January with a hat trick against Haiti while earning his international cap in the first national team game.

The freshman hopes to rejoin his team for the U-20 World Cup, which will be held in Canada in July.

“From his performance [in Panama], I think he should make it,” said junior Matt Hoff, who will captain the Crimson during the upcoming season. “He will definitely do well at that level.”

Akpan was among 16 players invited to a recent training camp in Canada, preparing for the upcoming U-20 event by playing in the two venues where the World Cup will be hosted, facing Canada’s U-20 national team in both matches. Seven collegiate players were selected for the roster, and the trip will serve as coach Thomas Rongen’s final chance to evaluate players before the July matches.

Whether or not Akpan is chosen to participate in the tournament, he is sure to face many challenges as he sheds the rookie label and takes on an even larger role in Harvard’s Ivy League title defense next fall.

—Staff writer Alexandra J. Mihalek can be reached at amihalek@fas.harvard.edu.