2017 MEN'S SOCCER ALL-PACWEST TEAM
IRVINE, Calif. -- After a record breaking season, California Baptist’s
Aidan Apodaca is the PacWest Player of the Year headlining the 2017 All-PacWest Team, which features three first-team selections for the Lancers, who won the PacWest title.
Apodaca is joined among the award-winners by his teammate
Abe Placito, who was named the PacWest Defender of the Year, and head coach
Coe Michaelson, named the PacWest Coach of the Year. Point Loma’s
Wiktor Lasota and Dixie State’s
Zach Nielson were voted by the PacWest head coaches as the PacWest Co-Goalkeepers of the Year.
Carlos Vazquez-Perez was picked as the PacWest Freshman of the Year for Holy Names, and Fresno Pacific’s
Fellipe Souza is the PacWest Newcomer of the Year.
Apodaca led the nation in scoring during the 2017 regular season as he helped the Lancers go unbeaten this season to earn the West Region’s No. 1 ranking. Apodaca started the season on fire, scoring 15 goals in the first five matches, including a five-goal effort against Northwest Nazarene on September 16. Along with that single-game scoring record, he also broke the Lancers’ single season and career scoring records. He currently sits at 27 goals this season, which is tied for the PacWest single season record. The senior also has four assists adding to his national-best 3.22 points per game.
While leading the California Baptist defense to the seventh-best goals against average in the nation at 0.58, Placito has also been a weapon on the offensive end for the Lancers with six assists per game. The California Baptist defense produced shutouts in 55.6 percent of all its contests. The Lancers recorded shutouts in five of their last seven games before winning the conference title on the last day of the regular season.
Vazquez-Perez scored 12 goals in his freshman season to be named the PacWest Freshman of the Year. His 12 goals was tied for the third most in the conference. Vazquez-Perez helped the Hawks earn two wins in conference play. Against Chaminade, the freshman recorded his first career hat trick as he led the Hawks to their first victory of the season. Vazquez-Perez also scored the equalizer in Holy Names' win against Hawai`i Hilo.
Lasota tallied eight shutouts for Point Loma this year, including a stretch in which Point Loma had eight consecutive shutouts as a team. Lasota also ranked 14
th in the nation in goals against average at 0.669, while ranking 22
nd in save percentage at 81.8. Lasota has tallied 45 saves this season to help the Sea Lions advance to the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the West Region.
Nielson had a 1.418 goals against average with a 73.2 save percentage this season. The sophomore had four shutouts and 52 saves on the season as the Trailblazers went 12-5 for the season. Dixie State finished in fifth place in the PacWest standings with an 8-5 conference record.
Souza helped Fresno Pacific to a winning record in conference play at 7-6 as the Sunbirds won three of their final four games. Souza ranked in the top 50 in the nation for points and goals per game. The first-team all-conference selection averaged 0.65 goals per game and 1.53 points. Souza scored seven points for FPU in its 5-1 win over Academy of Art, tallying three goals and an assist.
Michaelson earned recognition as the PacWest Coach of the Year in his second year at California Baptist. He led the Lacners to their first PacWest title since tying for first place in 2011. Michaelson brought in 22 new players to the program after taking over, putting together a roster capable of winning the PacWest conference. Michaelson also added the CCAA defending Player of the Year in
Joey Chica, who was a second-team all-conference pick
, as a transfer from Cal State Dominguez Hills. With several new faces on the team, Michaelson took advantage of a trip to Baja California to get his team ready for a 2017 in which the Lancers went unbeaten during the regular season. With the PacWest title under their belt, the Lancers enter the NCAA West Regional as the No. 1 seed.
On the First Team All-PacWest, the PacWest leader in assists,
Anthony Velarde from Fresno Pacific, earned recognition. California Baptist’s
Hugo Gutierrez ranked second in the conference in assists and was also named to the first team. Notre Dame de Namur’s
Esteban Berumen and Dixie State’s
Bryan Baugh each earned their fourth career all-conference recognition, being named to the first team.
Josch Cuerton from Hawai`i Pacific was also picked for the first team, earning his third career all-conference selection.
Sammy McKay became Biola’s first player from the men’s soccer program to earn First Team All-PacWest honors.
Moises Medina from Dixie State,
Moises Claudio from Notre Dame de Namur and
Kaleb Armbrust from Azusa Pacific rounded out the First Team All-PacWest.
| 2017 ALL-PACWEST MEN’S SOCCER TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| FIRST TEAM |
| Aidan Apodaca** |
California Baptist |
F |
Sr. |
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Los Osos |
| Josch Cuerten** |
Hawai’i Pacific |
F |
Sr. |
Cologne, Germany / Landrat-Lucas Gymnasium |
| Moises Medina* |
Dixie State |
F |
So. |
Mesquite, Nev. / Virgin Valley |
| Fellipe Souza |
Fresno Pacific |
F |
Jr. |
Juiz de Fora, Brazil / West HIlls |
| Kaleb Armbrust |
Azusa Pacific |
M |
Sr. |
Gold River, Calif. / Capital Christian |
| Esteban Berumen*** |
Notre Dame de Namur |
M |
Sr. |
Pittsburg, Calif. / Pittsburg |
| Hugo Gutierrez* |
California Baptist |
M |
Sr. |
Pico Rivera, Calif. / Yavapai College |
| Anthony Velarde |
Fresno Pacific |
M |
Jr. |
Reedley, Calif. / Reedley |
| Bryan Baugh*** |
Dixie State |
D |
Sr. |
Henderson, Nev. / Green Valley |
| Moises Claudio |
Notre Dame de Namur |
D |
So. |
Hawthorne, Calif. / Lawndale |
| Sammy McKay |
Biola |
D |
Sr. |
Fullerton, Calif. / Academy of Art |
| Abe Placito |
California Baptist |
D |
Sr. |
Perris, Calif. / Northwest Nazarene |
| Zach Nielson |
Dixie State |
GK |
So. |
West Point, Utah / Northridge |
| Wiktor Lasota |
Point Loma |
GK |
Jr. |
Lodz, Poland / Aviation |
| SECOND TEAM |
| Joey Chica |
California Baptist |
F |
Sr. |
Visalia, Calif. / Cal State Dominguez Hills |
| Eduardo Gallardo* |
Point Loma |
F |
Sr. |
San Diego / Point Loma |
| Naia Graham* |
Notre Dame de Namur |
F |
Jr. |
Kailua, Hawai’i / Kailua |
| Carlos Vazquez-Perez |
Holy Names |
F |
Fr. |
Santa Maria, Calif. / Pioneer Valley |
| Victor Aguirre |
California Baptist |
M |
So. |
Hesperia, Calif. / Mt. SAC |
| Kousei Mattox |
Biola |
M |
Jr. |
Yokohama, Japan / Esperanza FC |
| Aleksander Pumpalovic |
Azusa Pacific |
M |
Jr. |
Zurich, Switzerland / KV Zurich Business School |
| Sebastian Wiesboeck |
California Baptist |
M |
So. |
Rosenheim, Germany / Munich |
| Ari Claro |
Concordia |
D |
Sr. |
Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. / Long Beach CC |
| Jacob Eisenberg |
Point Loma |
D |
Fr. |
Temecula, Calif. / Chaparral |
| Robert Hines** |
Notre Dame de Namur |
D |
Sr. |
Concord, Calif. / Northgate |
| Gabriel Silva |
California Baptist |
D |
Jr. |
Brasilia, Brazil / Mt. SAC |
| William Whiddon |
Concordia |
GK |
Gr. |
Carlsbad, Calif. / Rancho Buena Vista |
| THIRD TEAM |
| Arturo Astorga |
Azusa Pacific |
F |
So. |
El Paso, Texas / Canutillo |
| Ather Dawood |
Dixie State |
F |
Sr. |
Tucson, Ariz. / Pal Verde |
| Julian Font |
Concordia |
F |
So. |
Ladera Ranch, Calif. / JSerra |
| Junior Guerra |
California Baptist |
F |
Jr. |
Los Angeles / Cathedral |
| Gerrit Arzberger |
Hawai’i Pacific |
M |
Jr. |
Munich, Germany / Therese von Bayern |
| Ether Bustos* |
Concordia |
M |
So. |
San Juan Capistrano, Calif. / CSU Fullerton |
| Indiana Fuller |
Point Loma |
M |
Jr. |
Irvine, Calif. / University |
| Tim Siegfried |
Point Loma |
M |
Fr. |
Osterburken, Germany / Apian-Gymnasium |
| Mitch Wheelon* |
Point Loma |
M |
Sr. |
Vancouver, Wash. / Union |
| Bruno Brumati |
Fresno Pacific |
D |
Jr. |
Cacapava, Brazil / West Hills |
| Fabian Lueders |
Point Loma |
D |
Jr. |
Munich, Germany / Ludwig-Maximilians |
| Matias Rodriguez |
Point Loma |
D |
Jr. |
Bogota, Colombia / Chaparral |
| Riley Waldeck |
Biola |
D |
Sr. |
Santa Clarita, Calif. / William S. Hart |
| Javier Santana |
Notre Dame de Namur |
GK |
So. |
Diamond Bar, Calif. / Diamond Ranch |