HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College men's soccer team placed two student-athletes on the Philadelphia Sports Information Directors (Philly-SIDA) Academic All-Area team, the organization announced in a release on Tuesday afternoon. 

Senior Kieran Kunihiro (Menlo Park, Calif.) and junior Thomas Vanni (Wilmington, Del.) each earned the honor, becoming the first duo for the Fords to pick up the academic plaudit since the tandem of Dylan Ioffreda and Max Mouer after the 2023 season.  The team of 11 student-athletes from eight different schools were named to the Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area Men's Soccer Team for the combination of their academic achievement and athletic accomplishments during the season.

To be eligible for Academic All-Area honors, a student-athlete must be in at least their second year at the institution and hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or higher. The team is selected by the sports information offices of 30 colleges and universities in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Kunihiro adds the honor after an impressive 2025 campaign. A dominant force in the air, Kunihiro served as a steadying presence for a historic Haverford back line. The senior helped anchor a defense that posted 12 shutouts, allowed just nine total goals and finished with a .448 goals-against average, the third-best mark in Division III. Also contributing offensively, the chemistry major tied for fourth on the team with seven points (three goals, one assist), highlighted by the game-winning strike in the Fords' upset victory over No. 2 Rowan on Sept. 16.

The team's primary playmaker, Vanni elevated the Scarlet and Black attack throughout a breakout junior season. The mathematics major with a focus in applied math, tied for the team lead in points (13), delivering a Centennial Conference-leading nine assists,  the 33rd-most in the nation, and adding two goals. His season featured two multi-assist performances, including a three-assist showing at Farmingdale State on Oct. 15 and a pair of helpers against Arcadia in the season opener. Vanni's goals included the game-sealer against No. 2 Rowan on Sept. 16 and the equalizer against Washington College on Oct. 4.

The 2025 campaign marked a historic chapter for Haverford men's soccer. The Fords finished the season undefeated at 10-0-10 — the program's first unbeaten season since 1945 — and improved their win total by eight from the previous year. Behind one of the nation's strongest defenses, Haverford allowed just nine goals all season and earned recognition in the Division III national poll for the first time since 2021. The season culminated in the program's first Centennial Conference Tournament appearance since 2019.