ATLANTA — Appalachian State University men’s soccer midfielder Graham Smalley earned all-Sun Belt Tournament team recognition on Sunday evening, the league office announced after Coastal Carolina defeated Georgia State in the tournament championship.
A true freshman, Smalley worked his way into the starting lineup, starting 17 of 18 games this season for the Mountaineers. Smalley got his first collegiate goal in stunning, game-winning fashion, pushing the Black and Gold to the first win of the season in their home opener against USC Upstate.
Upstate had battled to equalize the game late, but senior Stephen Chapman found Smalley at the top of the box in the 77th minute where he found the back of the net for one of the top moments of the season.