University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
11.03.2026 | Men's Soccer
FULL BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE RELEASE
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Six UNC Asheville Men's Soccer players have earned Big South Conference All-Conference honors to match a program record, announced by the league today (Tuesday, Nov. 3). Asheville's presence on the All-Conference list was highlighted by three First Team All-Conference selections including Lucca Barros being named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year. The six honorees match the highest total since the 2001 team won the Big South Conference regular season championship.
Barros was named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, alongside forward Tyler Ware and defender Lennart Granzow. Forward Kayoum M'Bamba, defender James Davies and defender Ian Smith were all named to the All-Conference Second Team, while Davies was named to the All-Freshman Team and Granzow was also named to the All-Academic Team.
Barros becomes the second Bulldog in program history behind Charlie Farrar in 2023 and 2024 to be named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year. Barros has played and started in 15 matches this season for the Bulldogs, totaling 1,253 minutes between the pipes. His .781 save percentage leads the conference and ranks 32nd in the nation, while his 57 total saves are fourth in the league and 47th in Division I. His six shutouts also lead the conference and are 16th nationally, while he has compiled a record of 8-5-2 in goal. He has also been named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week four times this season.
This is Barros's first career All-Conference honor. The Mint Hill, N.C. native is a double major in business and mass communications.
Ware has played in all 16 matches this season, ranking second in the league and 10th in the nation in goals (11), third in the league and 16th in the nation in assists (eight) and leading the league and ranking fifth in the nation in points (30). Ware has been named the Big South Conference's Offensive Player of the Week three times, named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week twice and also named both the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News National Player of the Week. Ware was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 Players List, coming in at No. 31.
This is Ware's first career All-Conference honor. The Hooper, Utah native is a business major.
Prior to the start of the season, Granzow was named the Big South Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Preseason Players to Watch List. Granzow has appeared in all 16 matches making 16 starts, totaling 1,343 minutes on the back line helping the Bulldogs to nine clean sheets on the season. He has also scored one goal and added two assists on the season for four points, scoring the game-winner in the season-opener against Northern Kentucky. He was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week once this season, while also being named to the Big South Conference Midseason Watch List.
Granzow was also named to the All-Academic Team for the second straight year, holding a 3.78 grade point average as a business major.
This is Granzow's second career All-Conference selection. He is a native of Hamburg, Germany.
M'Bamba has appeared in all 16 matches making seven starts totaling 809 minutes of action. He has scored eight goals and added six assists for 22 points, good for second on the team. His goals are also tied for fifth in the conference, while his assists are tied for fourth in the conference and his points are also fifth in the league.
This is M'Bamba's first career All-Conference honor. The Goussainville, France native is a business major.
Davies has appeared in 14 matches making 10 starts during his freshman campaign, totaling 991 minutes of action. He has registered three assists on the season, and has also been named to Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 Freshmen List coming in at No. 71.
The All-Conference honors are the first two of Davies's career. The Eastleigh, England native is a business major.
Smith has appeared in all 16 matches making 13 starts on the back line, tallying three goals and four assists for 10 points on the year. Smith also made an appearance on the Big South Conference Midseason Watch List.
This is Smith's first career All-Conference honor. The Kaiserslautern, Germany native is a double major in business and economics.
The Bulldogs (9-5-2, 3-3-1 Big South Conference) return to action in the Big South Conference Championship quarterfinals this Wednesday (Nov. 4) to face No. 6 seed USC Upstate. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field, with video and live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Six UNC Asheville Men's Soccer players have earned Big South Conference All-Conference honors to match a program record, announced by the league today (Tuesday, Nov. 3). Asheville's presence on the All-Conference list was highlighted by three First Team All-Conference selections including Lucca Barros being named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year. The six honorees match the highest total since the 2001 team won the Big South Conference regular season championship.
Barros was named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, alongside forward Tyler Ware and defender Lennart Granzow. Forward Kayoum M'Bamba, defender James Davies and defender Ian Smith were all named to the All-Conference Second Team, while Davies was named to the All-Freshman Team and Granzow was also named to the All-Academic Team.
Barros becomes the second Bulldog in program history behind Charlie Farrar in 2023 and 2024 to be named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year. Barros has played and started in 15 matches this season for the Bulldogs, totaling 1,253 minutes between the pipes. His .781 save percentage leads the conference and ranks 32nd in the nation, while his 57 total saves are fourth in the league and 47th in Division I. His six shutouts also lead the conference and are 16th nationally, while he has compiled a record of 8-5-2 in goal. He has also been named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week four times this season.
This is Barros's first career All-Conference honor. The Mint Hill, N.C. native is a double major in business and mass communications.
Ware has played in all 16 matches this season, ranking second in the league and 10th in the nation in goals (11), third in the league and 16th in the nation in assists (eight) and leading the league and ranking fifth in the nation in points (30). Ware has been named the Big South Conference's Offensive Player of the Week three times, named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week twice and also named both the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News National Player of the Week. Ware was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 Players List, coming in at No. 31.
This is Ware's first career All-Conference honor. The Hooper, Utah native is a business major.
Prior to the start of the season, Granzow was named the Big South Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Preseason Players to Watch List. Granzow has appeared in all 16 matches making 16 starts, totaling 1,343 minutes on the back line helping the Bulldogs to nine clean sheets on the season. He has also scored one goal and added two assists on the season for four points, scoring the game-winner in the season-opener against Northern Kentucky. He was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week once this season, while also being named to the Big South Conference Midseason Watch List.
Granzow was also named to the All-Academic Team for the second straight year, holding a 3.78 grade point average as a business major.
This is Granzow's second career All-Conference selection. He is a native of Hamburg, Germany.
M'Bamba has appeared in all 16 matches making seven starts totaling 809 minutes of action. He has scored eight goals and added six assists for 22 points, good for second on the team. His goals are also tied for fifth in the conference, while his assists are tied for fourth in the conference and his points are also fifth in the league.
This is M'Bamba's first career All-Conference honor. The Goussainville, France native is a business major.
Davies has appeared in 14 matches making 10 starts during his freshman campaign, totaling 991 minutes of action. He has registered three assists on the season, and has also been named to Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 Freshmen List coming in at No. 71.
The All-Conference honors are the first two of Davies's career. The Eastleigh, England native is a business major.
Smith has appeared in all 16 matches making 13 starts on the back line, tallying three goals and four assists for 10 points on the year. Smith also made an appearance on the Big South Conference Midseason Watch List.
This is Smith's first career All-Conference honor. The Kaiserslautern, Germany native is a double major in business and economics.
The Bulldogs (9-5-2, 3-3-1 Big South Conference) return to action in the Big South Conference Championship quarterfinals this Wednesday (Nov. 4) to face No. 6 seed USC Upstate. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field, with video and live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
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