DENVER – Three WAC men's soccer players have been named to the Capitol One Academic All-District Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. UNLV's Kyle Mellies, Air Force's Tucker Axhoj and Incarnate Word's Dylan Kelly all earned first team honors.
Mellies, a senior from Las Vegas, is the top defender for a UNLV squad off to its best year in almost 30 years. He has helped the Rebels post a WAC-best eight shutouts, while their shutout percentage has ranked in the top 20 all season long. Mellies has also found a way to contribute on offense as well this season, ranking fourth on the team in scoring with 10 points off four goals and two assists. That includes a game-winner in the final minutes at Bradley earlier this year. The second-team all-conference selection a season ago, Mellies has sparked the Rebels to a 12-3-1 mark overall, a first place record in the WAC at 6-1, and to a No. 1 ranking in the West Region.
Axhoj, a sophomore from Waxhaw, N.C., currently maintains a 3.73 grade-point average and is majoring in systems engineering computer science. He has appeared in all 15 of AFA's games this season and is tied for third on the team with two assists.
Kelly, a junior from Tucson, Ariz., is receiving the award for the second straight year. The forward has a 3.89 grade point average (GPA) and is studying engineering management. He has become the Cardinals top offensive player with five goals and three assists. After a slow start to the season, he has scored all of his points in the last eight games of the season, including three goals in his last four games. He is ranked in the top 10 in the Western Athletic Conference in points, points per game, goals and goals per game.
All three will advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot where first, second, and third team All-America honorees will be selected in November.