Javier Carbonell is a senior forward from Madrid, Spain that’s already had a big start to his last season, notching eight goals so far and already being named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week twice.

Carbonell transferred from Camila Jose Cela University his junior year where he helped his team finish first-place in the Madrid Championship 2015 and 2016 while scoring 20 goals with seven assists.

Since transferring to GS, Carbonell has been a huge asset to the Eagles, being the first to earn Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year as well as being named first-team All-Conference accolades.

Other honors and awards received by Carbonell include Sun Belt Offensive player of the week twice his junior year and twice so far his senior season, 2017 All-Sun Belt Conference First Team, and 2018 Sun Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.

The soccer player is more than just a star player for the Eagles, but a star student as well. Carbonell currently holds a 3.8 GPA and made the 2017-2018 Sun Belt Conference Academic Commissioner’s List.

“He’s obviously a very good player and a very good student which is important for the culture of our program. Those are the type of kids we tend to recruit,” Head coach John Murphy said. “If they’re not serious academically they usually struggle in our program. We need kids that are academically sound, and he definitely is.”

Carbonell also shows a deep bond he’s made with his teammates in the two years he’s played with the Eagles—having a friendship that goes further than the field.

“[His teammates] love him. He’s a lot of fun and he’ll mess around with the players. He’s very friendly and happy,” Murphy said. “You want to make sure it’s a good fit for them and I’m always very pleased when the kids come to Statesboro and they’re really enjoying themselves. I know Georgia Southern is a special place and to see the kids enjoy is gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”

Carbonell’s junior season was quite the success where he started 16 matches and notched four goals with nine assists.

“He does a lot of things for the team,” Murphy said. “I think his work rate and his movement is very good. He’s a very good passer of the ball, so as long as he continues his all-around game I think that’s the minimum we can expect from him and if he continues to do that he’s going to be a big time player for us.”

Carbonell has not slowed down his momentum going into this season as he’s logged eight goals so far, four of those goals being in one game scored four different ways.

“Every time I score a goal it’s a very good feeling,” Carbonell said. “I just want to celebrate with my teammates.”

The forward has played in and started every game so far this 2018 season and has tallied 473 minutes of play. In those minutes of play Carbonell has taken 23 shots, tallied up 18 points, and had logged a shot percentage of 0.348.

“I’m just trying to play every game like it’s the last,” Carbonell said. “I’m just enjoying my last season here, performing to win every game.”

Kaitlin Sells, The George-Anne Assistant Sports Editor, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu