Aboubacar Traore: Journey to NCAA Tournament and Graduation

12/11/2025 9:17:00 AM | Men's Soccer

December 2025 Graduation Celebration

By: Morgan McDonald

Aboubacar Traore is truly leaving the Florida Atlantic men's soccer program better than he found it. Traore joined the Owls in 2024 as a junior transfer from fellow American Conference member Charlotte.
2025-26 FAU Athletics Head Shots

During his first season he started all 16 matches, gained American Conference weekly honors, tied the program record and led the American in assists, and was named to the American All-Conference First Team.

"I wouldn't say I was shocked, but it also wasn't expected. It's all something I knew I could do, I just had to prove it, Traore said."

The forward from Abidjan, Ivory Coast had no plans of slowing down for his final collegiate soccer season. Traore repeated as the American assists leader, was named Second Team All-Conference, and was named to multiple American weekly honorable mention lists.

Aside from personal accolades, Traore helped his team make history during his senior campaign. The 2025 FAU men's soccer team was not only crowned co-champions of the American Conference regular season, but they also won the conference tournament, where Traore was named to the all-tournament team. Winning the league title secured an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, marking their first appearance in program history.

"Even during my first season at FAU, that is something that we knew we could do. We knew that we had the players and the willingness to do it, we just had to be humble enough to figure out what to improve upon to win," Traore said.

Traore credits much of the team's success to their off-the-field relationships with each other.

"Even though we had the players and the talent it takes more than that to win. One of the reasons we won is because of how close we are as a team."

Traore is graduating from Florida Atlantic with a degree in Professional Studies. He plans to continue playing soccer at the professional level for as long as he can. A memory that he will carry into his future endeavors is the moment the final whistle blew and his team claimed the conference title. The looks on his teammates' faces and knowing how much it meant to every single one of them is something he will never forget.

"It was so special what we had," recalls Traore. "We had a group of brothers that would do anything to help and support each other and that is what I will remember more than any of the trophies."

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES
Matt Alfred (men's soccer)
Naejaun Barber (football)
Kiemar Brown-Richardson (football)
Fabrizio Cubeddu (men's soccer)
Madison Dyer (volleyball)
Leila Etemadi (women's soccer)
Victoria Hensley (volleyball)
Scarlee Jean (football)
Alexander Kocher (football)
Logan Lupo (football)
"Buck" Devarius Mitchell (football)
Sofia Molina (track and field)
Wendol Philord (football)
Maya Podray (cheer)
Daughtry Richardson (football)
Karly Ruskin (cheer)
Aboubacar Traore (men's soccer)
Caden Veltkamp (football)
Dillion Williams (football)
Joseph Young (football)
Sloane Young (women's soccer)

Gallery: (12-11-2025) 2025 December Graduation