2021-22 Season In Review2021-22 Season In Review
Men's Soccer

2021-22 Season In Review

Stanford (10-3-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12)
Statistics
NCAA Statistical Rankings

The 2021 season was an unfamiliar one for Stanford men's soccer. After years of unparalleled success in NCAA men's soccer that included three championships in three years from 2015-17, Stanford had the fewest wins in a season with Jeremy Gunn at the helm, and the fewest since 2010 with six.

This season marked the first time ever that a Cardinal men's soccer team earned six draws.
In the 110 years since the men's soccer program's inception, six teams have earned five draws in a single season, with the latest occurrence coming in 2019. 

The Cardinal faced a difficult schedule throughout the season, facing six top-25 ranked teams, including three in the top-5.

AWARDS

Ousseni Bouda became a common name associated with awards during his standout freshman year in 2019. When he made his return after taking the 2020 season off due to injury, he returned to his award garnering form immediately.

The sensational Burkina Faso native captured two Pac-12 player of the week accolades on September 13 and October 4. For his performances, Bouda also earned a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on October 5 and College Soccer News National Team of the Week on September 7.

In the postseason awards arena, Bouda was joined by Zach Ryan on the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West region team. The two top scorers from the season were also named All-Pac-12 selections, along with Will Richmond, Keegan Hughes, and Keegan Tingey.

Zach Ryan also collected CoSIDA Academic All-District honors along with Andrew Aprahamian, Keegan Tingey, and Will Richmond. Ryan and Aprahamian would go on to be selected as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans as well.  

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ON OFFENSE

The Cardinal offense flowed through Zach Ryan and Ousseni Bouda during the 2021 season. The tandem forwards held the joint-lead on the team for goals this season with five a piece, and Bouda led the charge with nine assists, tied for the most in the Pac-12.

The team's greatest offensive output came at home against California on October 3 in the first Big Clasico of the season. Bouda contributed on four of the five goals, notching a brace and recording two assists. The Cardinal defense held strong against the cross-bay rivals and recorded a shutout enroute to a 5-0 victory.

Will Richmond, Gabe Segal, and Carlo Agostinelli were next on the team in total points behind Bouda's 19 and Ryan's 15. Richmond tallied eight points on three goals and two assists while Segal and Agostinelli recorded seven each. Agostinelli came into form midway through the season, notching important assists against Oregon State and California on his way to four assists and one goal in 2021. Segal recorded two goals and three assists on the season, including setting up the game winning goal at USF.
Both Agostinelli and Segal will look to bring their good form into the 2022 season as they return to The Farm for another year with the Cardinal.
 


ON DEFENSE

Stanford will return three of its key defenders in 2022 in Keegan Tingey, Keegan Hughes, and Noah Adnan. Despite being defensive players, Tingey and Hughes both contributed four points on the season. Adnan and Hughes each came up with crucial goals down the stretch, helping earn 1-1 draws against UCLA and Denver, respectively.

Matt Frank protected the net for Stanford, starting in all but one game during the season. The senior stopper had a goals against average of 0.77, the second best mark in the conference. He also recorded 45 saves during the season while allowing only 14 goals, the best goals against total for any keeper in the Pac-12 with at least 10 starts.

The All-Pac-12 duo of Tingey and Hughes will look to anchor the backline again with Noah Adnan returning for his junior season. The defense will look for continued growth from sophomore Ryan Dunn who contributed to three shutouts in five starts during the tail end of the season. He chipped in a goal and an assist as well.
 

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RECORD BOOK

Stanford said goodbye to the final remaining members of the 2017 championship squad this season, with Zach Ryan and Andrew Aprahamian each finishing their fifth season on The Farm.

Zach Ryan made his way into the record books of both Stanford and the Pac-12. The striker finished in a tie for ninth all-time with an impressive 31 goals. Ryan's 75 points also have him positioned eighth in the Cardinal record books.

In Pac-12 history, Ryan finished even higher, ranking fifth all-time in points and third all-time in goals.
 


GOING PRO

Three seniors for Stanford are continuing their playing careers at the next level in Major League Soccer. Will Richmond and Zach Ryan each signed homegrown player contracts with their former youth academy clubs, the San Jose Earthquakes for Richmond and the New York Redbulls for Ryan. 

Ousseni Bouda earned a coveted Generation Adidas Contract, given to collegiate soccer players who have shown they are ready to compete at the professional level before their senior season. Bouda entered the draft after signing his contract and was selected eighth overall by the San Jose Earthquakes, where he will link up with former teammates Richmond and Tanner Beason.

Looking Forward: Stanford has a lot to look forward to in the 2022 season, none more exciting than the return of dynamic midfielders Cameron Cilley and Mark Fisher. The duo started all but one game together and the middle of the field will continue to run through Fisher and Cilley.

Will Reilly provided a fresh offensive spark as a freshman for the Cardinal, playing in 15 of the 18 contests throughout the season. While the young midfielder was limited to one goal, his first career strike was a crucial match winner at the death against USF. Reilly tallied two assists during his first season on The Farm and he will be expected to continue delivering for Stanford as he grows more accustomed.

Layton Purchase, Gabe Segal, and Carlo Agostinelli will take the reins of the Cardinal attack next year and fill in the gaps left by Will Richmond, Zach Ryan, and Ousseni Bouda. They are big shoes to fill following the absence of three offensive forces, but the three returners will surely have more opportunities following their combined 14 points last season.