Awards and Honors: Blevins, Buca, Rodriguez Named Big Ten Players to Watch
8/22/2022 12:00:00 PM
// Megan McIntosh
Kevin Buca, Inaki Rodriguez, Bryce Blevins (Aug. 22)
Big Ten Players to Watch — Fifth-year senior Kevin Buca along with senior Inaki Rodriguez and junior Bryce Blevins were named Michigan’s Big Ten Players to Watch.
Buca, a 2022 team captain, returns after leading the Wolverines with 12 points (five goals, two assists) and taking a team-best 26 shots last season. The Rochester, Mich., native recorded his first career hat trick, scoring all three goals in Michigan’s 3-1 win over Northwestern and earning him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Rodriguez, also a 2022 team captain, started 14 matches and made six starts in 2021, recording six points with a team-best four assists and one goal. The Santiago, Chile, native had a career-best two assists in Michigan’s 2-1 win against Rutgers last season and scored the game-winning goal against Loyola Chicago.
Blevins makes the Big Ten Player to Watch list for the second straight season after playing in all 18 games (16 starts) in the 2021 campaign. The junior midfielder tallied two assists and totaled 1,210 minutes on the pitch, ranking fourth on the team.
Big Ten Preseason Poll — The conference’s coaches picked U-M to finish fourth in the standings behind Penn State, Indiana and Maryland after the Wolverines made a Big Ten Tournament semifinal appearance in the 2021 season.
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