ROSEMONT, Ill.- Penn State men's soccer seniors Peter Mangione and Femi Awodesu, along with fifth-year Kris Shakes were selected as Big Ten Players to Watch as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon. Mangione and Awodesu enter the 2023 campaign with this accolade for the second consecutive season.
Mangione now owns two watch list nods after being chosen as a forward to watch by United Soccer Coaches last week. The two-time captain concluded the 2022 season leading the team in goals with eight and points with 18. The senior is no stranger to Big Ten awards, racking in first team All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022 as well as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.
Awodesu receives the selection for the second-straight year as a key component to the Nittany Lion defense. Standing tall at center back, he has helped contribute to eight shutouts throughout his career. The senior out of Philadelphia earned second team All-Big Ten at the end of the 2022 season.
Shakes returns for his fifth season as a Nittany Lion starting goalkeeper on the Players to Watch List ahead of the 2023 campaign. Shakes, like Mangione is no stranger to conference accolades. He was named the 2021 Defensive Player of the Tournament after posting shutouts in all three tournament games. The Parkland native owns 14 shutouts in his career at Penn State.
