Men's Soccer Coaches Select 2016 All-Conference Team

The offense of Marymount California and the defense of UC Merced had significant impact the 2016 All-California Pacific Conference men's soccer team. The Mariners again had the top offensive player, this year being Enrique Amador, and the Bobcats' Andy Galvan, the anchor of the stingiest defense in the conference, repeated as the top defensive player this fall.

Fourteen underclassmen sprinkled throughout the two teams selected by Cal Pac coaches in a postseason poll. MCU, ranked No. 10 in the latest poll, placed five players on the First Team. UC Merced, which received votes in the national poll, had six players earn mention on the two all-conference squads. Embry-Riddle and Antelope Valley each had three players on the all-Cal Pac team, Soka University of America and La Sierra each had two, and Simpson and Pacific Union both had one.

Amador, a junior midfielder for MCU, was a dominant force on the offensive side of the ball. He ranked first in the Cal Pac in Assists per Game (0.69) and Assists (11), 3^rd in Points per Game (1.56), Points (25), and Shots per Game (3.0). Amador ranked 7^th in the nation in Total Assists and Assists per Game.

For the second year in a row, UCM's Galvan was voted the top defensive player in the Cal Pac. The senior led a Bobcat defense that gave up only 1.18 goals per game this season, but only five in 10 Cal Pac matches. Six of those 10 conference matches were shutouts for UCM.

MCU forward Oriol Morego Lopez was tabbed the Newcomer of the Year after leading the Cal Pac in six offensive categories. The sophomore topped all scorers with a 2.12 average Points per Game, as well as Points (36), Goals per Game (0.94), Goals (16), Shots per Game (4.82), Shots on Goal per Game (2.41)

The Cal Pac Freshman of the Year is Mason Laaksonen of Embry-Riddle, another offensive force in the conference. He was first in Game Winning Goals per Game (0.22) and Game Winning Goals (4), tied for 4^th in Goals per Game (0.50) and Goals (9), tied for 6^th in Points (22), and 7^th in Points per Game (1.22).

For the second time in his four years with the Bobcats, Albert Martins has been selected by his peers as the Cal Pac's top coach. After going 4-10 in the program's first season, Martins has guided UCM to 35 wins over the past three years.

2016 ALL-CALIFORNIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION

Embry-Riddle: Jake Hutto, Chase Rinehart; La Sierra: Alfonso Gonzalez, Felipe Mendizabal; Marymount California: Reece Alexander, Kevin Fredriksson, Barack Moses; Sierra Nevada: Zachary Kranhke, Juan Luque, Jacob Pranke; Simpson: James Lemus; Soka University of America: Yauri De Groot, Ryan Schmucker; Antelope Valley: Edwin Diaz; UC Merced: Alan Ochoa

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS