LOS ANGELES – Senior midfielder Erik Holt and junior forward Mohammed Kamara of the UCLA men's soccer team were both included on Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top-100 Player Rankings, it was revealed on Monday.
Holt, who was named the No. 53 player in the country in the preseason rankings, remained at that spot in Monday's list. Kamara made his debut at No. 93. The list includes sophomore, juniors, and seniors.
Team captain and member of the MAC Hermann Watch List, Holt has been a box-to-box beast for UCLA this year. Defensively, he has received a big assignment as the holding midfielder in UCLA's 3-5-2 alignment. Thanks in large part to his efforts, UCLA has a 0.992 goals against average and five shutouts this year, both second in the Pac-12.
Not just a defensive-minded mid, Holt has jumped into the offense as well, recording three assists to this point of the season. That figure eclipses his previous career total of two assists.
Kamara, a transfer from Tyler Junior College, caught the attention of college soccer pundits with four goals in his first four games, including a highlight-reel chip on Opening Day that made No. 2 on that night's Sportscenter Top-10. He has been hampered by injuries since that early-season tear, starting just three of UCLA's last eight games.
UCLA is 8-4 overall this season and 4-1 in Pac-12 action, tied for first place atop the league table. The Bruins host Loyola Marymount on Saturday night, Oct. 20, at 7:00 p.m. in a non-conference tilt.