Joey Akpunonu

M.Soccer: Joey Akpunonu drafted by FC Cincinnati

Joey Akpunonu v Oakland - Sept. 23, 2022

Photo by: Larry Clapper

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Photo by: Steve Woltmann

Photo by: Jay LaPrete, Ohio State Athletics

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Photo by: Isaiah Vazquez/BGSU Athletics

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

MAC Champions - Team - Trophy - April 18 2021

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Photo by: Scott Walstrom, NIU Athletics

Position:
Defender
Height:
6-3
Weight:
185
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Toledo, Ohio
High School:
St. John's Jesuit
Prev School:
Pacesetter SC

Years of eligibility remaining including 2022-23 academic year: 3

PRONUNCIATION
ap-a-NO-noo

DRAFTED

On Dec. 21, 2022, Akpunonu was chosen by FC Cincinnati with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft

2022

Was named to the MLS 2023 Generation adidas class on Dec. 19, 2022
Two days later, was drafted by FC Cincinnati
Became the first underclass player in school history to be chosen in the MLS SuperDraft
And, was the first-ever Falcon to be selected in the first round
Named to the 2022 Academic All-America® First Team, selected by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA)
An All-MAC First-Team selection
Was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team
Earned two awards at the 2023 Ziggys, BGSU's end-of-year athletics awards banquet
Was named BGSU's Male Athlete of the Year as well as the Male Junior Scholar-Athlete of the Year -- each award goes to just one male across the entire athletic department
Also named to the Academic All-District® Team, selected by CSC
Was one of just 44 players (and one of only 18 underclassmen) invited to participate in the adidas MLS College Showcase from Dec. 9-12
The showcase, in conjunction with the NCAA College Cup, gives technical staffs from every MLS club an opportunity to scout the nation's top collegiate prospects
Was chosen to both the OCSA All-Ohio First Team and the Academic All-Ohio First Team
And, was named to the Academic All-MAC Team
Earned Top Drawer Soccer Top-100 postseason honors, checking in at #97 on that site's list of top players in the country
Started all 16 matches, playing every second of all 16 contests
Led the team with six goals, and finished second on the Falcons with 12 points
Scored the first goal of the match in three of BGSU's four MAC wins
Had a pair of GWG on the year, and was a perfect 3-for-3 in penalty-kick attempts
Played all 180 minutes during the Falcons' matches vs. DePaul and Loyola in Chicago
Was on the pitch for all 90 minutes of the home opener vs. Ohio State
Played all 90 minutes of the scoreless draw at Michigan, helping hold the Wolverines to just one shot on goal
Scored the tying goal on a second-half PK in BG's 1-1 tie vs. Michigan State
Had three shot attempts vs. the Spartans
For his efforts vs. U-M and MSU, was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on Sept. 13
The next day (Sept. 14), he was named the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week
Played every second of the 3-1 win at Air Force, and blocked back-to-back shots off of the goal line in the first half
Scored on a PK vs. Oakland, and headed a second-half shot away from the goalmouth for his third 'team save' in two matches
Played all 90 minutes of the MAC opener vs. Western Michigan, and played all 90 at Georgetown as well
Also was on the pitch for every second of the 1-1 draw vs. #20 Akron
Played every second of the win at Chicago State, helping the Falcons keep a clean sheet and scoring the winning goal
Headed home a Sergi Martinez corner kick in the 57th minute at CSU, and had a game-high four shot attempts
Played all 90 minutes and headed a shot off of the goal line for a 'team save' as BGSU blanked #20 Akron on the road
Helped the Falcons record a third consecutive shutout with a 3-0 home win over Chicago State
Scored the first goal of that match, converting a PK after he was pulled down in the box on a corner-kick play
For the third time in three MAC wins, scored the opening goal -- this time on a header at Northern Illinois
Played all 90 minutes at Western Michigan
Scored a goal in the 6-0 home win over NIU, and played every second as the Falcons posted their seventh shutout of the season

2021

Named to the All-MAC Second Team
Also named to the OCSA All-Ohio Second Team
Made the Academic All-MAC Team as well
And, was named a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, a 'best of the best' list of student-athletes who earned both all-conference and academic all-conference honors
Was ranked 12th on the Top Drawer Soccer postseason list of the top-20 players in the MAC
Started all 20 matches, ranking second on the team in minutes played
was on the field for 1,866 of the team's 1,877 total minutes on the year
Scored six points on two goals and two assists
Helped the BG defense record nine shutouts
Played all 110 minutes vs. IUPUI, holding the Jaguars to just four total shots and no goals
And, played all 92-plus minutes of BGSU's win at Gonzaga
Was on the field for 86 minutes at Cleveland State, helping hold the Vikings without a single shot on goal
Played all 90 minutes in another 3-0 shutout win on the road, as BGSU defeated Michigan State for the first time in 20 years
Also played every second of the match against #6/7 Marshall, with a shot on goal
Played all 90 minutes and picked up an assist on the GWG in a 3-0 win over Wright State
Again played all 90 minutes, and again picked up an assist, as BGSU defeated #13/17 FIU
Was on the field for all 90 minutes of the Falcons' 2-0 win over Detroit Mercy
The shutout was the Falcons' sixth in eight matches
Played all 90 minutes and scored his first collegiate goal at Canisius
Played every second of the 105-plus minutes at Ohio State
Was on the field for all 90 minutes of the win over Georgia State
Scored the game-winning goal on a blast from just outside the 18-yard box vs. Georgia Southern
Part of a BG defensive corps that did not allow a shot on goal in that 4-0 win
Played all 110 minutes of the Falcons' 1-1 draw at Northern Illinois, in a matchup of top-25 teams
Was on the pitch for all 90 minutes of BGSU's 3-0 win at Oakland
Played all 110 minutes vs. Western Michigan, with a pair of shot attempts, and played all 90 minutes at both West Virginia and NIU
Was on the field for all 90 minutes of a 1-0 shutout win at Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Championships
Played every second of the national tourney second-round match at Indiana

2020(-21)

Played in 12 of BGSU's 13 matches, starting six
Started the final six matches of the year, playing every second of each of those matches
Had one assist on the year
Made his collegiate debut in BGSU's 3-2 win over Dayton, playing nine minutes off the bench, and also saw action in the win vs. Syracuse
Made his first collegiate start at Northern Illinois, and played all 90 minutes of that 1-0 win
Blocked an NIU shot near the goal line late in the first half of that match for a 'team save'
Played all 90 minutes at Western Michigan, and assisted on Jacob Erlandson's goal in the last second of the first half
Played all 96-plus minutes of the Falcons' 1-0 win over Akron, with a shot attempt
Part of a BG back line that held the Zips without a shot on goal in that win
Was on the pitch for all 110 minutes of the scoreless draw vs. West Virginia
Had a shot on goal, and blocked a WVU shot off of the goal line for a 'team save'
Played all 98-plus minutes of the Falcons' 2-1 win over NIU that clinched the MAC title
Was on the pitch for all 90 minutes of the NCAA Championships match vs. Monmouth

HIGH SCHOOL

A three-year letterwinner at St. John’s Jesuit H.S. (‘20), where he played under coaches Tom Shook and Greg McElroy
Named to the All-Ohio First Team by the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association as a senior
Scored 18 goals and had 12 assists en route to earning Three Rivers Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year honors
Also was named the District Player of the Year
Titans won the TRAC championship in all three years
Two-time team captain
National Honor Society
Scholar Athlete award
Went on a foreign service trip.

PERSONAL

Born in Toledo, Ohio
Son of Basil and Elizabeth Akpunonu
Plans to attend medical school and become a doctor
Has an older brother, Peter
Mother played collegiate tennis at St. Vincent Coll.
Multiple aunts, uncles and cousins have played collegiate sports as well
Has played club ball for Pacesetter SC, helping that club to a State Cup championship as well as a regional semifinal appearance
Favorite athlete is Virgil Van Dijk
Lists his parents as his biggest influence
Participated in and completed the MAC Transformative Leadership Program in July of 2020.
A biology major at BGSU

AKPUNONU ON BGSU
“I chose BGSU because of the culture and family environment that surrounds the program, as well as the great academics. I knew that Bowling Green was a place where I can grow as a player, but more importantly as a person, too.”

COACH NICHOLS ON AKPUNONU
“Joey is a local product that we are extremely excited about. His athleticism and technical ability will translate straight away to the college game. We fully expect him to make an impact from day one. On top of being a great player, Joey is an even better person who will add great value to the culture of our program.”

AKPUNONU'S CAREER STATS