Simpson awarded Region III Male athlete of the Year

From Genesee Community College, Sonny Simpson is the 2024 Region 3 Male Athlete of the Year. Sonny assisted in leading the Cougars to a 14-1-2 record this season.

Sonny was chosen as First Team All-Mid-State Athletic Conference, First Team All-Region 3, and First Team All-NJCAA 1st Team Men's Soccer All American in 2023. He participated in Genesee's Conference & Regional Championship squad during his rookie campaign, which saw the team advance to the NJCAA National Championship. He played offensively in his first season before becoming into one of the greatest center backs in program history in his second year.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Simpson also excelled academically as a student athlete. Following his debut season with the Cougars men's soccer team, he was recognized as the NJCAA Superior Academic Award recipient. He was selected as SUNY Chancellors Scholar-Athlete for Men's Soccer in addition to earning Academic All-American, Academic All-Region, and Academic All-MSAC Conference honors in his second year of competition. He was also recognized as Genesee's Male Athlete of the Year and a member of the NSLS Leadership Society, Phi Theta Kappa.

“Sonny was the epitome of leadership throughout the season. He led by example on the field of play, in the classroom and with his honesty and actions towards his teammates,” says GCC head coach Ken Gavin. “He started his freshman year off the bench as a center forward and finished his sophomore year as an All-American center back. This is a testament to Sonny's unflinching character and desire to improve. "He is in what I would have to imagine are a select group of players who have managed to play in a new position for the first time as a college sophomore and earn a Division 1 scholarship at the end of that season.”

Congratulations to Sonny on this amazing achievement, we know you will do great things in the future.