Top NPSL Alums Face Off in NCAA Postseason
The University of Akron’s Stefan Dobrijevic and Duke’s Kenan Hot led their respective teams into Sunday’s NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship matchup in Akron, Ohio. UA would come away with a 2-0 win as they advanced to the NCAA’s Elite Eight.
Dobrijevic has played in 74 matches (26 starts) for the Zips, tallying 15 goals and 21 assists in over 3000 minutes of play. He has also contributed five game-winning goals to the Akron attack.
Hot, the TopDrawerSoccer.com 2023 NPSL Young Player of the Season, has played in 74 matches (72 starts) for the Blue Devils. He registered nine goals and five assists in over 5300 minutes of play.
The statistics only tell part of the story, as the dynamic duo of NPSL alums are likely headed to the professional ranks via the MLS SuperDraft or overseas opportunities. Both Dobrijevic and Hot are highly coveted prospects who are ready to step up to the next level.
Dobrijevic’s breakout season came at the right time according to University of Akron head coach Jared Embick.
“He’s the Offensive Player of the Year in the Big East,” Embick said. “He’s been the focal point of our attack and really stepped up. We lost all three forwards and our Offensive Player of the Year from last year, and we’re hoping he’d be able to do this. And it’s just been tremendous. Not only with his stats, but just his leadership, and his consistent play has been phenomenal.”
Embick believes Dobrijevic has a bright future ahead in the pros thanks to an impressive skill set.
“He’s good one-on-one, has excellent delivery, can hit the ball and score with both feet,” Embick added. “Where he’s really improved is his defending, his awareness off the ball, and that’s what they’re looking for.”
Duke head coach John Kerr shared similar thoughts on Hot’s potential.
“He’s had a great career,” Kerr said. “Four years for us, and he’ll go on to have a great professional career. Very proud of him, very grateful to have him in our program.”
Dobrijevic starred for Akron City FC, while Hot split his time between FC Motown and Jackson Lions FC.
Dobrijevic was one of the Great Lakes Conference’s top attackers, finishing fifth in the league’s 2024 Golden Boot race after scoring 12 goals in eight matches. He played alongside TopDrawerSoccer.com 2024 NPSL Young Player of the Season Sam Sarver, who played for FC Dallas and North Texas SC in 2025 after being drafted 41st overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft.
Dobrijevic enjoyed his time in the NPSL and found it to be very beneficial.
“I loved playing for Akron City,” Dobrijevic said. “Playing in the city over the summer and knowing a bunch of the guys I played with growing up. Also playing the consistent 80, 90 minutes every single game against good competition. With us having a good team, it further developed me and increased the level of my game.”
Hot spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with Jackson Lions FC. His best season came in 2023, as he started 10 games and played 900 minutes, tallying two goals and seven assists. He also led FC Motown to a conference title in 2021.
“Those coaches and those programs gave me every opportunity to shine.” Hot said. “ I do believe that there’s a lot of players in this world that have ability. I think the main thing that separates the good from the guys who make it is opportunity. And I think that these clubs gave me an opportunity to show what I can do. Ultimately, I did pretty well with it, but it started with the opportunity.”
Hot has a great deal of respect and admiration for the NPSL teams he played for.
“My time with the Lions was amazing,” Hot continued. “Great, great people. It was like a family. Motown was similar. It was a very, very close knit group. They have very honest people who drove these programs to great things.”
Hot also credits Duke for the role it played in his development as a player and person.
“Duke, for me, goes well beyond soccer, the way it developed me as a person,” Hot said. “I feel like I went in as a kid and came out as a grown adult. I feel like that’s what Duke is, and that’s what a lot of people know it for. Amazing academics and surrounding yourself with amazing people every day, and people who are driven and people who work hard. It really pushed me to be the best version of myself. On the field, I feel like every year was a step up for me, a step up, a step up. And then in the end, it was finishing my best season yet. I’m just extremely grateful that my coaches gave me that opportunity year after year. The coaches just continued to believe in me and give me that opportunity, and I was able to make the most of it. Just nothing but good things to say about Duke.”
Dobrijevic came to Akron as the 19th-rated forward nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.com, while ranking as the sixth-best player in the Great Lakes Region and 91st on the IMG Academy 150. He gained valuable experience with the Internationals Academy, a program that has produced a plethora of college and professional soccer stars.
Hot already has some world-class soccer experience with trials at Arsenal, AS Roma, and Borussia Monchengladbach on his résumé. The Lincroft, NJ native came up through the New York Red Bulls academy, spending time with New York Red Bulls II, Hartford Athletic, and New York FC II.
Dobrijevic would exit Sunday’s match after 19 minutes with a shoulder injury, while Hot played the entire 90 minutes. A third NPSL alum, Akron’s Nathan Ferguson, saw nine minutes of action in Sunday’s match. Ferguson saw limited time with Akron City in 2024 coming off an ACL injury.
Photo Credit: Duke Athletics, Tyler Andreas/Jackson Lions FC, Kylie Cook/Akron City FC, and Peter Bonilla
