After a 12-point week for the Canisius College men’s soccer team, redshirt freshman Melvin Blair (Frome, Jamaica) collected a pair of National Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday, earning NSCAA Division I Player of the Week honors, as well as being named the TopDrawerSoccer Player of the Week.
Also named the MAAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, Blair completed a remarkable week for the Griffs with 12 points, five goals and two assists as the rookie led Canisius to a pair of wins to complete the regular season.
On Wednesday, Blair matched the NCAA high for the 2015 season with eight points against second-place Rider – scoring three goals to go along with two assists. His eight points are the most by a Griff since 1999 when Ryan Puntiri scored four goals in a game. The rookie sensation followed his career performance with another multi-goal game, scoring two second-half tallies – including a highlight chipped goal from 25 yards out – in a 3-1 victory against Manhattan as Canisius matched its school record with its fifth-straight victory.
Blair leads the Griffs with 14 points this season, scoring six goals to go along with two assists. After his 12-point week, Blair now ranks second in the MAAC during conference games in both points and goals.
The hottest team in the MAAC with five-straight victories to finish the regular season, the Griffs open the MAAC Tournament on Thursday against Quinnipiac. The schools are set to meet at the Wide World of Disney Sports Complex at 12:30 p.m.