NSCAA AWARDS SUMMARY
Gothic Knight Insights: Interviews with Tyler Krychkowski, Coach Patrick Snyder

KANSAS CITY, KS (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior Tyler Krychkowski (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) had never played a second as a goalkeeper at any level prior to the first weekend of the 2014 season, but you would never be able to tell by the results. Krychkowski has earned the ultimate accolade for his remarkable debut performance, being named the first Disney Soccer/NSCAA Division III National Player of the Week of the 2014 season.
 
In a program with numerous All-Region and several All-America players in its history, Krychkowski is the first Gothic Knight men's soccer player to ever win the award bestowed weekly by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the top overall player at each level of collegiate soccer: Division I, II, III and junior college. The program was expanded to begin honoring players outside of Division I in 2013.
 
Krychkowski, who a day earlier was also selected as the first New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week of the season, was converted into a goalkeeper in the offseason after two years as a field player on all three lines. The 5-foot-11, 155-pounder had appeared as a defender, midfielder and forward in 40 games (23 starts) in his first two years of college,
 
Krychkowski made 16 saves in his two-game debut to force a pair of ties as NJCU opened the year 0-0-2 at the CSI Soccer Fall Classic. NJCU tied Trine University, 0-0, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy, 1-1, both in double overtime. It was the first time in the 56-year history of the program that the Gothic Knights opened a year with two straight ties.
 
Krychkowski did not allow a run of play goal in 220 minutes of action and opened his collegiate goalkeeping career with a 198:55 scoreless minutes streak. The only blemish was an 89^th minute penalty kick in the USMMA game—a strike he still was able to get a piece of. In the two games he posted a .941 save percentage against 42 shots and a meager 0.41 goals against average.
 
In the 0-0 deadlock with Trine on August 30, Krychkowski made three saves in the double overtime contest, notching a shutout in his debut against nine shots.
 
Against USMMA on August 31, despite NJCU being outshot, 34-8, Krychkowski, in just his second collegiate game as a goalkeeper, made 13 saves including five in two overtime periods. NJCU was outshot 11-0 in the first half and 9-0 in overtime.
 
The 13 saves were the most by any Gothic Knight goalkeeper since Hall-of-Famer Jeff East `04 made 14 saves against Rowan University on October 28, 2000.

Krychkowski was aided by a defensive unit that included junior Christopher Segovia (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial), sophomores Gabriel Freitas (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and Hector Linares (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and rookies Mohamed Elamin (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) and Juan Alvarez (Haledon, NJ/Passaic County Tech) in the back with senior Michael Cedeno (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) and freshman Marco Campos (Union, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep) chipping in as holding center midfielders.
 
Krychkowski, an undecided major who works in the sports information office on campus in the offseason, is the second member of his family to play soccer for the Gothic Knights. Older brother Tom Krychkowski, the 2011 winner of the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Award, played for NJCU from 2008-11.