BOCA RATON, Florida – Lynn University men’s soccer dominated the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) and was a national powerhouse in the NCAA Division II from 2010 until 2019. Last week, the SSC affirmed the team’s dominance and named five Fighting Knights to the Men’s Soccer All-Decade Team.
Chris Hellmann (2013–15) earned SSC Offensive Player of the Decade, Jason Sangha (2011–14) received the SSC Defensive Player of the Decade and Head Coach John Rootes is the SSC Coach of the Decade. Additionally, Niklas Tasky (2016–18) and Alun Webb (2016–17) joined Hellmann and Sangha on the All-Decade First Team.
League administrators and men’s soccer coaches voted to determine the 2010–19 Men’s Soccer All-Decade Team, awarding Lynn the most selections of any other university.
“I’m proud of these incredible men and honored to be a part of an organization that competes and is respected in college athletics at this level,” said Lynn’s Director of Athletics Devin Crosby. “Chris, Jason and John demonstrate the values of spirit, service and strength, and it is their leadership and perseverance that continue to earn them recognition.”
During his time at Lynn, Hellmann was a two-time SSC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and Regional Player of the Year. The forward from Cologne, Germany was named the 2014 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after guiding the Fighting Knights to the Division II National Championship and leading all DII players in goals and points.
Sangha is a four-time All-American. He helped lead Lynn to win the 2012 and 2014 NCAA National Championships and received NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Defensive Player twice. Sangha, from Southampton, England, is now an instructor and athletic coordinator at Lynn.
Rootes mentored Hellmann and Sangha, among many other student-athletes over the years. He led Lynn to a 134-37-19 (75.5%) record during the 2010–19 seasons. Under his leadership, the Fighting Knights won eight conference championships, including five regular season titles, and two NCAA Division II National Championships in 2012 and 2014. He also led the team to compete in two additional national championship games and in the final four five times.
Tasky was a three-time All-American at Lynn. In 2016, he became a NSCAA First Team All-American and earned NSCAA and D2CCA First Team All-South Region honors. The following season, he was a D2CCA Second Team All-American and a NSCAA and D2CAA First Team All-South Region member. In 2018, he garnered USC Third Team All-American accolades and joined the D2CCA and USC First Team All-Region squad.
Webb played just two seasons with the Fighting Knights, but certainly left his mark. He was named First Team All-SSC both years and took home First Team All-Region honors from both the NSCAA and D2CCA in 2016.
Visit LynnFightingKnights.com Nov. 30–Dec. 4, for in-depth coverage of Lynn’s SSC Men’s Soccer All-Decade Team award winners.
About the Fighting Knights
Lynn University’s 19 intercollegiate teams are home to over 300 student athletes. Lynn is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution, and winner of 25 national championships and 45 Sunshine State Conference titles. Representing spirit, service and strength, the Fighting Knights are a model athletics department of higher education through competition and academic excellence. For more information, visit: lynnfightingknights.com.
