Grand Canyon sweeps PacWest men's soccer awards
Grand Canyon grabs PacWest Men's Soccer awards; Ciliento,
Paneccasio, Draksin make it clean sweep
PHOENIX, AZ - In addition to capturing the 2009 Pacific West Conference Championship, the Grand Canyon University men's soccer team claimed all five of the PacWest's top post-season awards.
Phenomenal freshman forward Kyle Ciliento (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle - right) was named the PacWest Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, while junior netminder Ben Paneccasio (Sydney, Australia/Roseban K College) was dubbed the PacWest Goalkeeper and Newcomer of the Year in a vote by the head coaches of the nine conference teams.
All-PacWest Men's Soccer Team (PDF)
The individual awards and all-conference team was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 18, by the PacWest Media Relations office in Phoenix, AZ. The All-PacWest squad features 36 players evenly dispersed over three different teams - First, Second and Honorable Mention. Each team consists of four forwards, four midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper.
Grand Canyon listed seven All-PacWest players in addition to the four individual player awards, while head coach Petar Draksin was named the PacWest Coach of the Year.
Ciliento racked up staggering numbers in his rookie campaign. In
20 starts he exploded for 23 goals and 51 points to lead the
PacWest in both categories. He also topped the league in
game-winning goals (8), points per game (2.55) and goals per game
(1.15). He tied for fourth in the conference in assists (5) and
assists per game (0.25), and he was a perfect 4 for 4 in penalty
kick attempts. He was named All-PacWest First Team in addition to
his player of the year awards.
Paneccasio (left) joined Ciliento on the All-PacWest First Team after posting a 14-3-3 record in 20 starts this year for the Antelopes. The Australian native led the PacWest in goals against average (0.48), shutouts (12), and in shutouts per game (0.60). He played 1878:15 and produced the second-best save percentage in the conference (.811) while repelling 43 shots on goal (9th). Panecassio ranked ninth in the league in saves per game (2.15).
Draksin claimed his third PacWest Coach of the Year honor after leading the Antelopes to their third title in the four-year history of men's soccer in the league. He co-authored the award in 2006 after the Antelopes shared the inaugural title with Notre Dame de Namur, then he earned the honor outright in 2007 when GCU claimed the PacWest Championship alone.
Grand Canyon also earned three more All-PacWest First Team members and a pair of Honorable Mention accolades for its outstanding season.
Junior Juan Mendez (Phoenix, AZ/Horizon)
was named All-PacWest First Team Midfield, while senior
Jesse Baker (Lakeside, AZ/Blue Ridge) and
sophomore Nick Sykes (Boise, ID/Mountain
View) were chosen First Team Defenders.
Mendez (right) produced 10 points in 20 starts for the Antelopes, scoring three goals and assisting on four others. He tied for eighth in the PacWest in total assists this season.
Baker and Sykes each started 20 games on defense and contributed some offense when they had the shot. Baker scored three times, added three assists, totaled nine points and scored a pair of game-winners. Sykes, who was a 2008 Honorable Mention, scored three goals and finished with six points.
Grand Canyon junior Pat Perkins (Bremerton,
WA/Bremerton) was named All-PacWest Honorable Mention
at forward, while junior Joa Vieira (Amparo,
Brazil/Barbosa) was an All-PacWest Honorable Mention
midfielder.
Perkins (left) started all 20 games for the Antelopes, contributing five assists and five points on the season. He tied for fourth in the conference in total assists and in assists per game (0.25). Vieira also started 20 games for Grand Canyon, punching in two goals, adding an assist and totaling six points. He was credited with one game-winner in 2009.
Hawai‘i Hilo also registered seven All-PacWest players, including three forwards.Junior Logan Montenegro (Whittier, CA/Santa Fe) and sophomore Vinnie Muscarella (Camarillo, CA/Newberry Park) were named First Team, while junior Eduardo Gutierrez (Azusa, CA/Azusa) was named an Honorable Mention.
Montenegro (right) tied for fifth in the PacWest in total goals
with eight and ranked eighth in scoring with 17 points. He also had
an assist and one game-winning goal.
Muscarella played in 19 games with 12 starts and tied for 10th in the league in goals scored with five. He also added an assist, finished the season with 11 points, scored one game-winner, and converted one penalty kick attempt.
Gutierrez (left) started 17 of the 19 games he played and wound up
sixth in the PacWest in goals scored with six. He added three
assists, totaled 15 points to rank eighth in the league, rocketed
home two game-winners, and was 2 for 2 on penalty kicks. He
finished the season ninth in scoring average in the league (0.79).
Senior middie Luis Segovia (Whittier, CA/California) was named to the All-PacWest Second Team this season after making Honorable Mention in 2008. He played in 17 games in 2009 with 15 starts, scored two goals, assisted on four others, and finished up with eight points. He tied for eighth in the league in total assists and tied for ninth in assists per game (0.24).
Junior midfielder Jeremy Adams (Rough and Ready,
CA/Nevada Union - right) earned Honorable Mention
after playing in 20 games with 18 starts. He scored one goal - a
game-winner - added an assist and totaled three points.
Senior defender Tim Glick (Harrisonburg, VA/Turner Ashby) made his second straight all-conference team as an Honorable Mention. He played in all 20 games for the Vulcans, starting 18 times, scoring a goal, contributing three assists, and totaling five points.
Senior netminder Ivan Mercado (Paramount, CA/Century) was named All-PacWest Second Team Goalkeeper for the second straight year. He started 12 of the 14 games in which he played, producing a 5-8-0 record with a 1.64 goals against average in 1042:11 of action.
Mercado ranked fifth in goals against average, while his three shutouts tied for fourth in the conference. He produced the fourth-best save percentage (.750) in the PacWest and ranked fourth in total saves (57). He also ranked second in saves per game (4.07) and third in shutouts per contest (0.21).
Hawai‘i Pacific boasted six All-PacWest selections including
sophomore forward Chance Bukoski (Lihue,
HI/Kapaa). A First Team selection who earned the same
honor in 2008, Bukoski (left) started 17 games for the Sea
Warriors. He ranked second in goals scored (13), second in points
(29) and second in game-winners (7). He also contributed three
assists, made 1 of 2 penalty kick attempts, and tied for second in
the league in both points per game (1.71) and goals per game
(0.76).
Freshman Ikaika Fuerte (Kapaa, HI/Kapaa) and sophomore Kevin Fung (Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) earned All-PacWest First Team and Second Team Midfield, respectively. Fuerte started 14 of the 17 games in which he participated, leading the league in total assists (7) and finishing the season with nine points after also adding a goal. He ranked first in assists per game (0.41) and was credited with one game-winner.
Fung started 17 games and registered six assists - tying for second in the conference. He totaled six points and tied for second in the league in assists per game (0.35).
Two Sea Warriors were named to the All-PacWest squad as defenders.
Sophomore Sven Blauth (Kaiserslautern,
Germany/Hohenstaufen Gym - right) started 16 games
and played in 17 for HPU this season, contributing a goal, four
assists and six points. He tied for eighth in the PacWest in
assists and tied for ninth in the league in assists per game
(0.24). He was named to the First Team for his outstanding effort
in 2009.
Junior Nathan Scott (Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O'Connor) claimed Second Team Defender accolades after starting 16 of the 17 games in which he saw action. He totaled four assists for four points, tied for eighth in the league in total helpers, and tied for ninth in the PacWest in assists per game (0.24).
Senior netminder Matt Terry (Honolulu, HI/Saint Louis
- left) earned Honorable Mention as a goalkeeper for
the second straight year after posting a stellar 10-1-2 record in
14 games and 12 starts. He ranked second in the league in goals
against average (0.75), tied for second with four shutouts, and
spent 1203:39 between the pipes.
He ranked first in save percentage (.821), tied for seventh in total saves (46), ranked sixth in saves per game (3.29), and was second in the league in shutouts per contest (0.29).
Notre Dame de Namur claimed a quartet of All-PacWest selections in
2009. Sophomore Cristobal Montes (Fremont, CA/John F.
Kennedy - right) repeated as a First Team Forward
after starting 20 of his team's 21 games. He ranked fourth in goals
scored (10), tied for eighth in assists (4), and finished the
season fifth in total points with 24. He also tied for third in
game-winning goals with four, was a perfect 2 for 2 on penalty
kicks, and finished the campaign fourth in the PacWest in points
per game (1.14) and goals per game (0.48).
Sophomore midfielder Arturo Gomez (San Diego,
CA/Castle Park) also picked up First Team honors for
the Argos. He tied for seventh in goals scored (7), tied for fourth
in assists (5) and finished fifth in the league in total points
(19). He also tied for fifth in game-winners (3), ranked eighth in
assists per game (0.24), placed sixth in points per game (0.90),
and tied for eighth in goals per contest (0.33).
Sophomore forward Christian Rosales (Redwood City, CA/St. Francis - left) earned Second Team accolades after starting 20 games for the Argonauts. He had two goals, two assists and six points this year. Last season Rosales was named an Honorable Mention in the PacWest.
Senior Russell McCluskey (Salt Lake City, UT/Brighton) was named All-PacWest Honorable Mention on defense for NDNU. He started 16 games, played in 18 total, and assisted on one goal to record one point this year.
First-year PacWest member Dominican (CA) made a strong showing on
the all-conference squad by landing four players on the list. Three
of the selections were picked for the Second Team.
Sophomore forward Pedro Guevara (Santa Rosa, CA/Montgomery - right) earned the All-PacWest Second Team selection by recording seven goals, four assists and 18 points. He tied for seventh in putting the ball in the net, deadlocked for eighth in helping others score, and tied for sixth in scoring. Guevara caromed home three game-winners to tie for fifth in the league, was 3 for 3 on penalty kick attempts, and ranked seventh in both points (0.90) and goals (0.35) per game.
Junior forward Shaine Huiberts (San Juan Capistrano,
CA/Dana Hills - left) recorded five goals, three
assists and 13 points in 19 starts for the Penguins, earning
Honorable Mention recognition at forward. He tied for
10th in goals scored and finished 10th
overall in total points, while his trio of game-winners tied him
for fifth in the league this year.
Sophomore midfielder Rafael Garcia (Westlake Village, CA/Oaks Christian) earned Second Team honors after starting 17 games for Dominican (CA). He produced three goals, six points and one game-winner.
Junior Alec Ziegler (Eureka, CA/Montgomery) had seven points on a trio of goals and one assist over 18 starts. He also produced a game-winner and finished 2009 as an All-PacWest Second team choice on defense.
BYU-Hawaii and Dixie State each had three All-PacWest selections.
Red Storm rookie Jordan Roylance (Smithfield, UT/Skyview - right) earned First Team All-PacWest at the forward position after posting 23 points on 11 goals and one assist in 16 starts this season. He ranked third in the league in goals, fourth in points, and tied for third in game-winning goals with three. He also ranked third in points per game (1.44) and in goals per game (0.69).
Junior middie Jose Rodriguez (Cheyenne, WY/Rock Springs) and freshman defender Robby Austin (Hayden, ID/Coeur d'Alene) each claimed Honorable Mention All-PacWest. Rodriguez played in 18 games with 13 starts, while Austin started all 18 games and contributed a goal and two points.
BYU-Hawaii senior midfielder Adam Maciejewski
(Hamburg, Germany) earned his third straight
All-PacWest selection, this time as a First Team Midfielder. He was
a First Team pick in 2008 and a Second Team choice in 2007.
In 15 games, Maciejewski (left) scored five goals, produced 10 points and had one game-winner. He tied for 10th in the PacWest in goals scored and shared the eighth spot in goals per game (0.33).
Junior defender Collin Walch (Scotts Valley, CA/Scotts Valley) also earned his third straight All-PacWest selection. After making Honorable Mention in 2007 and 2008, Walch graduated to the Second Team in 2009 thanks to a strong performance over his 18 starts. He also tallied a game-winning goal, posted two assists, and finished the season with four points.
Senior forward Sam Akinaka (Haiku, Maui, HI/Maui) saw action in 18 games with 14 starts in 2009, finishing the campaign with 18 points on eight goals and two assists. He was named All-PacWest Second Team.
Akinaka netted three game-winners during the year, tying him for fifth in the PacWest, while his point total ranked him sixth in the conference. He also ranked fifth in points per game (1.00), tied for sixth in goals scored, and finished fifth in the league in goals per game (0.55).
Chaminade sophomore midfielder Kennan Ho (Honolulu,
HI/Saint Louis) earned Honorable Mention accolades
for the Silverswords. Ho started 17 games for Chaminade, producing
five goals, one assist and 11 points. He tied for 10th
in the league in total goals scored, tallied one game-winner, and
was 2 for 2 on penalty kick attempts.
Academy of Art earned its first All-PacWest men's soccer selection in freshman forward Daniel Higa (Honolulu, HI/Kalani - right) who was named Honorable Mention. In 16 games, Higa totaled nine points on four goals and one assist.
