PAC announces all-conference men’s soccer teams, annual award winners

PAC announces all-conference men’s soccer teams, annual award winners

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All-PAC First Team | All-PAC Second Team | All-PAC Honorable Mention | PAC Sportsmanship Team

GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) released its All-PAC men's soccer teams and yearly award winners Thursday. Ballots for the all-conference teams and annual award winners were voted on by the PAC’s eight head coaches.

PAC Player of the Year honors went to Westminster College sophomore forward Nick Iregui (Gig Harbor, Wash. | Charles Wright Academy) while Westminster 21st-year head coach Girish Thakar was named the PAC Coach of the Year.   

Iregui is just the second player of the year from Westminster. Garrett Horvath earned the honor in 2008.

Also an All-PAC First Team selection in 2017, Iregui led the league this season in points (42), goals (17) and assists (8). Four of his scores, and three of assists, came against league opposition this year. Iregui also led the circuit in points (34) and goals (15) in 2017. In 37 career matches (37 starts), he has totaled 76 points on 32 goals and 12 assists. Iregui set Westminster’s single-season records for points and goals this season.

Iregui's 42 points currently rank 13th among all NCAA Division III counterparts, while his 17 goals rank 14th.

This season, Iregui headlines a Westminster offense that ranks 23rd in Division III in goals scored (54) and 26th in points (141), respectively. 

Thakar led Westminster to a 5-2 PAC regular season record, securing the No. 2 seed in this year’s PAC Championship Tournament. Following their 1-0 semifinal victory over No. 3 Bethany College last Tuesday, the Titans secured their fifth PAC title Saturday with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Grove City College in the league’s title match. Prior to last week's title run, Westminster had last appeared in the PAC Championship Tournament in 2015, winning the title as the No. 4 seed.

The coach of the year award is Thakar’s third (2008, 2015).

Saturday was the first time that longstanding rivals Grove City and Westminster met in the league’s championship match.

By virtue of claiming the PAC title last Saturday, Westminster earned the league's automatic qualifying bid to the Division III Championship and will travel to Cleveland for the championship’s first and second rounds. Eighth-ranked Case Western Reserve University was one of 16 sites selected to host matches this weekend. Westminster (14-5) and Capital University (14-4) are scheduled to play at approximately 1:30 p.m. (EST) Saturday. They will follow the day’s opening match between host Case Western Reserve (14-3-1) and Keystone University (12-4-1).

On Monday, Grove City learned it was one of 16 teams to secure an invitation to compete in this year’s Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship. Grove City (14-2-4) will travel to top-seeded Drew University’s (11-6) Madison, New Jersey campus for a matchup with Wilkes University (8-8-1) Saturday at 2 p.m. (EST). Drew will open against the College of New Rochelle (9-7) at 11 a.m. (EST). 

PAC Award Winners
PAC Player of the Year: Westminster sophomore forward Nick Iregui
PAC Coach of the Year: Westminster 21st-year head coach Girish Thakar
 
All-PAC First Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown | High School
Christian Caporaso Grove City F Jr. Fairfield, Conn. | Christian Heritage
Nick Iregui Westminster F So. Gig Harbor, Wash. | Charles Wright Academy
Liam O'Halloran Geneva F Sr. Elyria, Ohio | Elyria Catholic
Tyler Sisler Waynesburg F Sr. Ellerslie, Md. | Mountain Ridge
Jon Burton Grove City MF Sr. Columbus, Ohio | Worthington Christian
Peter Mattocks Westminster MF Jr. Saegertown, Pa. | Saegertown
Jay O'Donnell Bethany MF Sr. Cardiff, Wales | Radyr Comprehensive
Pablo Espejo Bethany D Fr. Granada, Spain | Santo Tomas de Villanueva
Shane Fallen Westminster D Sr. Blue Bell, Pa. | Wissahickon
Zach Medarac Westminster D Sr. Beaver Falls, Pa. | Blackhawk
AJ Bove Westminster GK Sr. New Stanton, Pa. | Hempfield Area
   
All-PAC Second Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown | High School
Daniel Hott Waynesburg F So. Cumberland, Md. | Fort Hill
Franklin Tropiano Grove City F Sr. Hillsdale, Mich. | Hillsdale Academy
Alex Yoder Geneva F Fr. Milton, Pa. | Milton
Jake Broadwick Geneva MF Jr. McKees Rocks, Pa. | Robinson Township Christian
Ahmed Cisse Westminster MF Jr. Germantown, Md. | Clarksburg
Paul Mokrzan W&J MF Sr. Hilliard, Ohio | Watterson
Matt Prezioso W&J MF Sr. Clairton, Pa. | Thomas Jefferson
Danny Booth Bethany D Sr. Manchester, England | Poynton
DeVaughn Johns Geneva D Jr. Mount Pleasant Mills, Pa. | Midd-West
Brandon Lowe Saint Vincent D So. Hollywood, Md. | Chopticon
Junior Mensah W&J D Jr. Chantilly, Va. | Broad Run
Luke Greenway Grove City GK Fr. Penn Hills, Pa. | Penn Hills
 
All-PAC Honorable Mention
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown | High School
Eric Mitchell Thiel F Sr. Barberton, Ohio | Barberton
Iwan Mooney Bethany F So. Cardiff, Wales | Plasmawr
Justin Buberl Waynesburg MF Jr. Westminster, Md. | Westminster
Nick Cimini Westminster MF Jr. Mars, Pa. | Mars
Noah Ebenshade Grove City MF Jr. Elizabeth, Pa. | Mount Calvary Christian
Matt Kotkiewicz W&J MF Sr. Bethel Park, Pa. | Bethel Park
Trent Strick Grove City MF Sr. Worthington, Ohio | Worthington Christian
Wade Chapline Grove City D Sr. New Windsor, Md. | Francis Scott Key
Cole Duskey Thiel D Sr. Orrville, Ohio | Orrville
Tyler Feciuch Thiel D Sr. Kent, Ohio | Field
Matt Hlasnick Waynesburg D Sr. Washington, Pa. | Chartiers-Houston
Christian Conrad Thiel GK Sr. Barberton, Ohio | Central Catholic
Torben Grether Bethany GK So. Rheinfelden, Germany | Georg-Buchner
 
PAC Sportsmanship Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown | High School
Marlon Mejia  Bethany D Sr. Puyallup, Wash. | Covenant Christian
David McKinley Geneva MF Sr. Bellville, Ohio | Clear Fork
Noah Ebenshade Grove City MF Jr. Elizabeth, Pa. | Mount Calvary Christian
Cory Northrup Saint Vincent F Fr. Clarksville, Md. | River Hills
Luke Lindeman Thiel D Jr. Lakewood, N.Y. | Southwestern Central
Matt Prezioso W&J MF Jr. Clairton, Pa. | Thomas Jefferson
Matt Hlasnick Waynesburg D Sr. Washington, Pa. | Chartiers-Houston
Zach Fryda Westminster D Sr. Youngstown, Ohio | Boardman