OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Redshirt senior goalkeeper Matthew Jegier of the Elon University men’s soccer team was selected a candidate for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate soccer as announced on Wednesday, Sept. 19. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
2018 Senior CLASS Awards Candidates
Jegier is among 30 candidates identified for the annual honor. He becomes the third member of the program to be selected as a candidate following Clint Irwin (2010) and Steven Kinney (2009).
“I am honored to be on such a prestigious list of student-athletes who have been nominated for this award,” said Jegier. “I have been extremely blessed to play at a soccer program where character, community and classroom are put at the same level as competition. It is special to follow in the footsteps of two former Elon men’s soccer players, Clint Irwin and Steven Kinney, who achieved great success at Elon and in the MLS. I look forward to finishing off my final semester at Elon on a high note and helping Elon University continue to achieve success on and off the field.”
Entering his fourth year as a starter between the posts, Jegier has been instrumental in helping the Phoenix form one of the more formidable defensive units in the country. The Charlotte, N.C., native is coming off a season in which he led the Colonial Athletic Association in the majority of the keeper categories including a program single-season record for goals-against average (0.57). He also paced the league in save percentage (.833), shutouts per match (0.56) and total shutouts (10), which tied the program’s single-season school-record. He also became the program’s all-time career leader in shutouts and currently sits with 27 clean sheets for his career. Jegier’s efforts would earn him first team All-CAA accolades in 2017 and he was a 2018 Preseason All-CAA selection.
Off the pitch, Jegier has been a model student-athlete earning spots on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 first team the past two seasons and being chosen for the 2017 NCAA Scholar All-Region Teams by the United Soccer Coaches Association. A business and finance management major, Jegier graduated Magna Cum Laude from Elon this spring before coming back for his redshirt senior season this fall.
Beyond soccer, Jegier has been instrumental in serving the community. During his time at Elon, he has spent time volunteering with many organizations such as the Special Olympics, Mentor Reading, Habitat for Humanity and CHAMPS. He’s also served the international community through multiple study abroad trips to South Africa and Spain. Jegier also helps in organizing the men’s soccer program to assist with the local TOP Soccer Program, which helps with young athletes who have mental and physical disabilities. He also served as the president of Elon SAAC and led the Elon Athletics Annual Food Drive from 2015 to 2018.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The list of 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to the media, coaches and fans who will select the winner who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup® championships in December.