BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – Six FDU men's soccer players have been named All-NEC selections in an announcement made by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon. 
 
Kevin Leonhard and Nk Tima both landed on the All-NEC First Team for their outstanding seasons on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, respectively. Matt Giraldo and Jeffrey Marquez both earned All-NEC Second Team honors as well. Rounding it out, Alex Ferenac and Dominic Valenzuela landed themselves with All-Rookie honors. Five of six honorees are first-time All-NEC team recipients. 

"I am delighted to see some of our guys get rewarded for a successful fall 2024 season," said head coach Jaymee Highcock. "Kevin Leonhard is the NEC top goal scorer and has become one of the best forwards in the nation. Nk and Jeffrey have been rocks at the back for us and added some real defensive quality to our back line. Matt has been terrific at the business end of the season, and he gives us real speed and quality in the final 1/3. Alex and Dominic have showed great maturity this season and fully deserve to be rewarded for their exploits this fall. I am extremely proud of all these guys and everyone else on our roster that have helped earn us the #1 seed going into the playoffs. It's a collective effort and we are really looking forward to Thursday's game." 
 
Senior Kevin Leonhard captured his first All-NEC team honor after an impressive 2024 campaign. The New Jersey native led the team with ten goals and totaled 23 points on the season. Leonhard is the leading goal scorer in the NEC  as well as being ranked 21^st in the nation for goals per game. He was a prolific force on the front line for the Knights as he racked up three braces this season.
 
Graduate student Nk Tima finds himself named to the All-NEC First Team after a solid 2024 campaign on the Knights back line. Tima logged two game-winning goals for FDU in early matches against Manhattan and Fairfield to start the Knights on a high note. In the 17 games he played, FDU came away with five shutouts. 
 
Matt Giraldo has come up big for the Knights to earn his spot on the All-NEC Second Team. The Elizabeth, N.J. product's speed has kept opposing teams on their toes all season. In a late season match against Saint Francis U, Giraldo tallied two goals to help the Knights clinch the first seed for the NEC championship tournament. 
 
Jeffrey Marquez has earned his second All-NEC Second Team honor through his consistent strength on the back line for the Knights' defense. This season, Marquez's first collegiate goal came in the form of an equalizer  at LIU. In 15 appearances, he was a key part in the FDU back line that contributed to five clean sheets.
 
Part of FDU's success this season can be attributed to a talented rookie class. Forward, Alex Ferenac has made appearances in 15 games and logged two assists. Midfielder, Dominic Valenzuela found time on the field in 13 games where he recorded three assists. 
 
As a team, FDU put together a strong year on the pitch coming in second place overall for the regular season and securing the #1 seed for the NEC Championship tournament.  FDU earned impressive results against nonconference opponents like UMBC, Columbia, Fairfield, and Manhattan. The FDU Knights went on a four-game win streak to close the 2024 regular season. 
 
The #1 seeded Knights will take on #4 Le Moyne in the NEC tournament semifinal on Thursday at 7 p.m. at home in Teaneck, N.J. at University Stadium.