Mason named to national team Jeff Rickel/Reporter
One word to describe sophomore Will Mason, Elon’s
first player to be named to the Soccer America Team of the
Week, is humble.
Mason said he did not expect the award. In fact, he
didn’t even know he received the honor until his
roommate saw it online and told him about it. He also takes
no individual credit for the honor.
“We defended well against Belmont and UAB and really
just played well as a team,” Mason said.
He was also quick to mention that his teammate, sophomore
Kiki Willis, received National Player of the Week last season
and that he is surrounded by great players
like Willis.
Both Mason and coach Darren Powell stressed the issue that
the most important thing is the team.
“We’re all happy for Will, but we’re not
making a big deal of it,” Powell said. “The team
sees it as the team winning an award.”
To keep in shape over the summer, Mason worked out with the
Beadling soccer club in Pittsburgh. Mason is from Cleveland
but went to Pittsburgh over the summer because it was the
closest place with the level of play Mason was looking for.
Unfortunately Mason’s summer conditioning was cut
short.
“I went to regionals with the team, but then I got
mono,” Mason said. “I spent most of the summer in
bed and only had a few weeks to start running
again.”
Those few weeks were enough for Mason though, and he got
back in shape in time for Elon’s season. Mason
currently has one assist and has started the first nine games
of the season.
Contact Jeff Rickel at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247. | 
