United Athletic Conference

Utah Valley's Blake Frischknecht and Houston Baptist's Jorge Cabrera have been named Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for November 4 – 10.

 

Frischknecht, a senior forward from Las Vegas, scored twice in less than a minute to give Utah Valley a win over Air Force to clinch the second seed in this week's WAC Men's Soccer Tournament. With the score tied at 1-1, Frischknecht scored his 11th goal of the season in the 78th minute to put the Wolverines up 2-1. He scored again just 33 seconds later to give UVU the insurance goal en route to the eventual 4-1 win. His 12 goals this season rank him second in the WAC with his six-game winning goals putting him atop the league statistical standings.

 

Cabrera, a junior goalkeeper from The Woodlands, Texas, stepped up in net to help the Huskies clinch a spot in this week's WAC Men's Soccer Tournament. The sophomore made seven saves in a 2-0 win over Kansas City to earn the shutout and help HBU earn the sixth seed. It was his second shutout of the season.

 

Other offensive nominees: Grand Canyon's Justin Rasmussen scored in his third straight match as the Lopes fell 2-1 at home to UNLV … Houston Baptist's Gianluca Natera helped clinch a tournament spot for the Huskies with the game-winner in a 2-0 win over Kansas City … UNLV's Skyler Goo saved the best for last, scoring two goals in the Rebels' season-ending 2-1 win over Grand Canyon … San José State's Willy Miranda tallied his second goal of the season with a late strike at Seattle U on Saturday … Seattle U's Declan McGlynn scored twice as the Redhawks completed an undefeated WAC season with a 3-1 win at home against San José State.

 

Other defensive nominees: Grand Canyon's Ariel Aguas played the full 90 in the Lopes' season finale against UNLV … Utah Valley's Aaron Caprio anchored the Wolverines' back line and also scored on a penalty kick in a 4-1 win over Air Force.

 

The 2019 WAC Men's Soccer Tournament kicks off on Wednesday afternoon as the league's automatic selection to the NCAA Tournament will be up for grabs. Fourth-seed CSU Bakersfield and fifth-seed San José State will open the tournament on Wednesday at noon MT. Tournament host and third seed Air Force will take on sixth-seed Houston Baptist at 3 p.m. MT and second-seed Utah Valley will play seventh-seed Kansas City at 6 p.m. MT. Regular season champion Seattle U earned the only bye as the top seed and will take on the winner of CSUB/SJSU on Friday at 3 p.m. MT in the first semifinal match.

 

Seattle U became the fourth team in WAC men's soccer history to go through the WAC season without a loss, joining Air Force (2017), Seattle U (2013) and SMU (1998). Their 10 wins are also a new WAC-best, breaking the previous mark of nine from Seattle U (2015) and SMU (1999).

 

Seattle U continues to lead the WAC in shots (320), points (108), goals (37), shutouts (9) and corner kicks (125). The Redhawks are also tied with Utah Valley for the lead in assists (34) while UT Rio Grande Valley finished its season leading the league in least goals allowed (14) and goals against average (0.84). California Baptist holds the top mark in saves (107).

 

Individually, UVU's Blake Frischknecht is the leader in shots (82), and game-winning goals (6). AF's Tristan Trager holds the top spot in points (30) and goals (13). SU's Declan McGlynn and AF's Lathan Spadafora are tied for the assists lead (7). In goal, UTRGV's Andy Rios holds the top goals against average (0.84) and CBU's Albert Escuin is the leader in save percentage (.836) and saves (107). SU's Akili Kasim is the shutouts leader with nine.

 

In WAC-only play, Seattle U held the top spot in shots (189), points (77) and assists (25). The Redhawks also tied Air Force for the lead in goals (26) and with UT Rio Grande Valley for the lead in least goals allowed (8). UTRGV led the league in goals against average (0.70) and shutotus (6) and California Baptist held the top mark in saves (71).

 

Individually, UVU's Frischknecht led the league in shots (55) and game-winning goals (4). AF's Trager was the leader in points (24) and goals (10). SU's McGylnn and AF's Spadafora are tied for the assists lead (6). In goal, UTRGV's Rios held a WAC-best 0.70 goals against average and six shutouts while CBU's Escuin holds the top mark in save percentage (.877) and saves (71).

 

Seattle U moved into the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 this week, taking over the 21st spot in the poll. The Redhawks are also 19th in the College Soccer News Top 30. 

 

Regular season champion Seattle U leads WAC teams in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, moving up four spots to 40th. Utah VAlley is second in the WAC at 87.

 

This week's United Soccer Coaches' Far West Regional Rankings feature two teams from the WAC. Seattle U moved up two spots to third and Utah Valley stayed idle seventh. 

 

Five WAC men's soccer players were honored for their success in the classroom as well as on the field as Grand Canyon's Austin Day and Utah Valley's Zach Maas repeated as Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and were joined by UVU's Mark Brown, UT Rio Grande Valley's Angel Lopez and California Baptist's Sebastian Wiesbock. Lopez represented the Vaqueros on the Division 7 squad while the other four were on the Division 8 team. 

 

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his current institution. In addition, nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed. Honorees selected first-team Academic All-District® will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Academic All- America® honorees will be announced in early December.

 

Grand Canyon's Schellas Hyndman's historic year at the helm of the GCU men's soccer program is being followed with his induction into the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.

 

Hyndman, now in his 42nd year as a collegiate or professional head coach, will be inducted in January alongside New York prep coaching legend George Herrick and Ohio Wesleyan coaching great Dr. Jay Martin. The United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame, established in 1991, selects up to three members per year for induction. Honorees are chosen with an emphasis on success in the game, work with the association and lifetime contributions to soccer.

 

Hyndman has coached at Eastern Illinois, SMU and GCU, as well as spending six seasons as an MLS head coach for FC Dallas. He holds the fifth most wins by a Division I men's soccer coach after reaching the historic 500-win mark for his collegiate career in this season's Aug. 30 opener against Northern Kentucky. Only South Carolina's Mark Berson has more wins among active Division I coaches.

 

Utah Valley senior midfielder Alec Felix was announced as one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award®, given annually to a student-athlete who excels both on and off the field. Felix is a three-time Academic All-WAC selection and will graduate next April. Entering his final year of school, Felix has a 3.72 cumulative GPA.A two-time honorable mention All-WAC selection, he has started all but two games in his entire career. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2019 Men's College Cup® in December.

 

Eight men's soccer teams from the Western Athletic Conference have earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for exemplary performance in the classroom as a team during the 2018-19 academic year. Houston Baptist had the highest team GPA among the WAC teams honored as the Huskies posted an impressive 3.44 grade-point average. Kansas City was next with a 3.40 GPA, followed by California Baptist at 3.34, Grand Canyon at 3.32, Utah Valley at 3.30, UT Rio Grande Valley at 3.21, Seattle U at 3.11 and CSU Bakersfield at 3.01. 345 men's teams across all three divisions were honored, with 255 schools receiving honors for both their men and women's team. Seven of the eight men's teams honored were joined by their women's teams on the list.

 

Grand Canyon head coach Schellas Hyndman became the fifth Division I men's soccer coach in history to win 500 games after his Lopes earned a season-opening win over Northern Kentucky on Aug. 30. South Carolina's Mark Berson is the only other active coach with over 500 wins.

 

UNLV junior defender Billy Jones missed some time with the Rebels  in September as he spent time in Fiji competing for his native New Zealand in Olympic Qualifiers. Jones and the Kiwis went undefeated in poll play, defeated host Fiji in the semifinals and won the tournament with a 5-0 win over Solomon Islands in the final. Jones scored New Zealand's final goal in the championship match.

 

Seattle U is the preseason favorite to win the 2019 Western Athletic Conference men's soccer title in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team.

 

The Redhawks collected five of 12 first-place votes and 112 total points to take the top spot. UT Rio Grande Valley was selected second with two first-place votes and 104 points. Air Force and Grand Canyon tied for the third spot with the Falcons earning three first-place votes and the Lopes earning one first-place vote and both teams garnering 88 points. UNLV was just one point back with 87 points to take the fifth spot. San José State, a tournament finalist the last two seasons, received the final first-place vote and 77 points to take the sixth spot. Utah Valley was selected seventh with 75 points, followed by California Baptist in eighth, CSU Bakersfield in ninth, Houston Baptist and Kansas City tied for tenth and UIW in 12th. 

 

UT Rio Grande Valley's Kyle Edwards and Grand Canyon's George Tasouris were selected as the WAC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year respectively in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

 

Edwards is joined on the Preseason All-WAC squad by teammate William Akio while Tasouris was the lone representative for GCU. UNLV and Seattle U each had three honored as Tyler Allen, Marco Gonzalez and Timo Mehlich represented the Rebels and Julian Avilia-Good, Declan McGlynn and Thomas Mickoski were the Redhawks' honorees. Air Force's Nick Blessing and San José State's Max Allen rounded out the 11-member team.

 

UT Rio Grande Valley's Kyle Edwards is the lone WAC representative on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, released on Aug. 1. The senior scored 14 goals and recorded 33 points during a standout junior season, which saw him earn First Team All-WAC honors, as well as First Team All-Far West Region honors.

 

UT Rio Grande Valley forward Kyle Edwards was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI, earning third team honors. Seattle U midfielder Jesse Ortiz was named to the TDS Freshman Best XI after scoring 13 goals for Houston Dynamo U-19 and three goals for Brazos Valley Cavalry FC of USL2 where he played with UTRGV's Edwards.

 

The WAC has 27 non-conference games against participants from the 2018 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. Seattle U and Grand Canyon might have a strong argument for who has the toughest non-conference schedule as the Redhawks are set to take on five NCAA participants (Denver, Indiana (at Notre Dame), at Notre Dame, Portland and Washington) while the Lopes will play four NCAA participants (Oregon State, at Saint Mary's, at UC Riverside and at Virginia Tech). CSU Bakersfield, Houston Baptist and San José State will each take on three NCAA participants. In total, 11 of the 12 WAC men's soccer programs will face a postseason participant in non-conference play.