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Testori Named USA Today Male Soccer Player of the Year

Scott Testori’s tenure with the Hand boys’ soccer team was as close to perfect as a career can get. As he gets ready to continue his career at UConn, Testori was recently presented with the latest in a long line of major accolades when he was selected as the nation’s Male Soccer Player of the Year by USA Today.

Testori scored a school-record 86 goals to go with 32 assists during his four years with the Tigers. At the end of his senior season, Testori was named the National Player of the Year by United Soccer Coaches, becoming the first player in the state to ever receive that distinction. Then in June, Testori was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year for boys’ soccer.

Earlier this month, USA Today hosted its inaugural High School Sports Awards Show, recognizing top athletes from around the country in a variety of sports. When the award recipients were announced, Testori was chosen as the USA’s Male Soccer Player of the Year.

“It’s super prestigious. I would rank it up there with some of my best accolades, because of everything that went into it,” said Testori. “Before the season, I never would have imagined winning that award. It’s just awesome to be the state’s first National Player of the Year from both the coaches and USA Today and to represent my state, my school, and my town. It’s a huge honor.”

Testori, a 6-foot-3 forward, helped the Hand boys’ soccer squad achieve an unprecedented level of success throughout the past few years. During his tenure with the team, the Tigers amassed 64 victories, earned two SCC regular-season titles, won the SCC Tournament two times, and claimed three Class L state championships.

“I’ve been playing soccer since I was four or five, and it’s been my favorite sport ever since,” Testori said. “My favorite moment as a player had to be winning states in 2019 for the fourth-straight time for our program. It was great to continue the success, and it was an amazing day.”

There was no state tournament held in Testori’s senior year due COVID-19, but he still helped Hand finish its season with an undefeated record of 11-0. Although the Tigers were unable to compete for a fifth-straight state crown, Testori felt grateful to play his final season with the Tigers in the midst of the pandemic.

“I tried to keep it out of my head,” said Testori. “It was important to be cautious, but I wouldn’t say I was worried about it. I was more focused on playing and was happy to have a season.”

Testori garnered All-SCC Division B, All-State, All-New England, and All-American honors after recording 28 goals and nine assists during the 2020 campaign. Testori is a two-time SCC Player of the Year and Connecticut Player of the Year award winner and also made All-New England and All-American in each of his last two seasons.

Testori’s final game in a Hand uniform came when the Tigers faced Guilford in the SCC Division B championship game last November. Testori scored two goals to lead Hand to a 3-1 victory and yet another championship.

“I work on shooting a lot, since it’s very important for my position,” Testori said. “I’ve also recently been working on my movement, since it’s much more important in college than it was in high school.”

Testori was also a captain for the Hand boys’ basketball team as a senior. In his spare time, he enjoys playing a couple of other sports with his friends.

“Other than soccer, I really like hanging out with my friends around my town of Madison,” Testori said. “I also enjoy playing a bit of spikeball and volleyball.”

Testori will play for the men’s soccer team at UConn this fall. Testori has already developed a relationship with Huskies’ Head Coach Ray Reid and is looking to raise his game while competing at the Division I level.

“My relationship with my head coach is very good. I’m very close with him, and he helps me get better when he notices if I’m doing something wrong,” said Testori. “I want to develop my game a bit more at UConn and become a much better player.”

Testori accomplished everything that he could have wanted while playing soccer for Hand. As he enters his freshman year at UConn, Testori’s love for the sport continues to grow.

“My favorite aspect of soccer is that any team could beat another team. I also love how unpredictable the sport can be,” Testori said. “There are a lot of highs and lows that come with the game, and I’m looking forward to starting my career with UConn.”

Sports Editor Chris Piccirillo contributed to this story