CLEMSON, S.C. – Ousmane Sylla, the 2023 MAC Hermann Award winner (the national soccer player of the year) and two-time National Champion, has been nominated for the 2024 ESPY Award as the Best Male College Athlete. Other nominees for the award include Jayden Daniels (LSU Football), Zach Edey (Purdue Basketball), and Pat Kavanaugh (Notre Dame Lacrosse).
Sylla is looking to become the second Clemson Athlete to win the ESPY for Best Male College Athlete, (Deshaun Watson, 2017).
During his time at Clemson, Sylla was a vital member of the 2023 National Championship, scoring the game-winning goal and the equalizing goal in the ACC Tournament Championship match. Additionally, he was a part of Clemson’s 2021 National Championship team. Sylla finished second in the ACC in goals (13), assists (10), and points (36) for the 2023 season while also ranking third in shots on goal (24) and game-winning goals (5). His performance resulted in being drafted 55th overall in the MLS SuperDraft to Houston Dynamo F.C.
Sylla has been named to the College Soccer News Men’s National Team of the Week five times, the ACC Offensive Player of the Week, and has earned multiple selections to the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week. His accolades extend back to his freshman year, where he was recognized as part of the ACC All-Freshman Team and the TopDrawerSoccer.com Postseason Top 100 Freshman list.