KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Having already been recognized by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA), the Nova Southeastern men's soccer trio of Jan Luca Ahillen, Sebastian Loibl and Curtis Thorn has since been honored by United Soccer Coaches after each being named to the All-South Region Second Team.  

The Sharks have now garnered a combined eight all-region selections over the past two seasons.

"The awards are well deserved," said NSU head coach Matt Watts. "We are really proud of these guys, as this is a great honor and accomplishment for any player to achieve."

Ahillen proved to be a key cog for the Sharks once again in 2019, logging 90-plus minutes in 14 of 17 starts at his midfield position. The German registered eight points on two goals and four assists, although his impact on the team extended well beyond the numbers, serving as one of the club's captains this fall.

Loibl has now been an all-region honoree in each of his first three collegiate seasons. After tallying 10 goals and five assists as a sophomore, the junior followed up his 2018 campaign with nine goals and seven more assists – both team highs – in 2019. During the regular season, his numbers each ranked among the Top-3 in the Sunshine State Conference's major offensive categories. Loibl became just the second player since the program joined the NCAA to notch multiple career hat tricks after accomplishing the feat in early November against Embry-Riddle. The hat trick was part of the junior's second seven-point output of the season, as he played his best soccer of the year down the stretch.

A first-team selection by the D2CCA, Thorn adds another honor to his resume following an impressive season in which his defensive efforts carried the Sharks to a combined five shutouts - one of those coming at then-No. 5 Lynn. Joining Ahillen as one of two team captains on the roster, the Englishman finished second on the team in minutes (1,547), earning starts in 17 of NSU's 18 matches. Along the way, Thorn recorded a career-high three points in a 2-1 win over Eckerd on Oct. 19 before closing the year with a total of six overall.

NSU wrapped up its 2019 campaign with a final record of 9-6-3 after advancing to the SSC Tournament semifinal round. To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the offseason, follow them on Twitter @NSU_MSoccer.

For a complete list of the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Men's All-Region Teams, click here.