One of the best to wear the Canisius Blue and Gold, forward Asani Samuels (Savanna la Mar, Jamaica) has signed a contract to join the Rochester Rhinos after finishing his career with the Griffs men's soccer team, announced by the organization on Friday.
“Asani has good size and speed,” said Rochester head coach Bob Lilley. “He has the ability to either play up top or our wide and can be a real handful for defenders. He will challenge defenders with his size as he is good in the air.”
The first player in program history to collect all-region accolades on three occasions, Samuels finished his career by earning NSCAA All-Northeast Region Second Team honors and All-MAAC First Team accolades during the 2014 season. Samuels set career highs with 19 points, eight goals and three assists as a senior. He finished the campaign ranked fourth in the MAAC in both points and goals, while his four game-winning tallies are tied for first in the conference and 24th nationally.
“It has been very rewarding to watch Asani's development over the last four years,” said Canisius head coach Dermot McGrane. “I'm excited to see all his hard work pay off and I'll know he'll do great things at the professional level. This is a big step forward for the Griffs soccer program and Asani is the first of a number of players on our roster that will have the opportunity to play and succeed at the next level.”
A two-time all-conference selection, Samuels finished his Golden Griffin career with 38 points, 16 goals and six assists. He ranks 10th in the school's record book with his 16 career tallies.
Samuels helped guide the Griffs to one of their most successful seasons in school history in 2014. The team posted a 9-6-3 record and matched the program record for wins in a season. Overall, 11 marks in the school's record book were set or matched during the 2014 season.
