By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State had eight players named to the All-GAC/MIAA Men’s Soccer team for the 2023 season on Thursday (Nov. 9). The Tigers had three first-team, three second-team, and two honorable mention selections. The list of honorees included Blake Arndt, Tadhg Walsh, Callum Frogson, Elias Ovelar Semeniuk, Agustin Ayala, Chris Rios-Cruz, Inigo Jimenez, and Ben Dixon. In addition, Scott Pengelly and Alex Plimmer were two of just eight individuals to earn Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Awards conference-wide.
Arndt is now a four-time All-GAC/MIAA First Team selection at forward, the first to accomplish the feat in program history. He completed the regular season with 10 goals and now has 34 in his career at FHSU, which is second best in program history. His 78 career points ranks third best in program history. He ranked third in the GAC/MIAA in goals during the regular season, and fourth in points. His 13 career game-winning goals is tied for a school record and he holds the penalty kick goals record alone at FHSU with eight in his career.
Walsh earned a second all-conference honor in his second season with the Tigers. He was an honorable mention selection last year in the midfield, but jumped up to first-team honors this season. Walsh finished the regular season with 11 points, accumulating four goals and three assists. He started all 17 regular season contests and ranks third on the team in minutes played with 1,474.
Frogson also earned a second all-conference nod in his second season with the Tigers, going on the same path as Walsh from honorable mention to first team. However, last year he was an all-conference selection as a midfielder. Frogson notched an assist during the regular season and played 1,496 minutes, which was second best on the team, while starting all 17 contests.
Ovelar Semeniuk really came on strong for the Tigers in the second half of the season, doing all of his scoring damage in GAC/MIAA play. He finished the regular season with seven goals and two assists to rank second on the team in both goals and points (16). He collected a second-team selection at forward in his first year with the Tigers.
Ayala picked up his first all-conference selection as a second-team selection as a midfielder. He finished the regular season with two goals and one assist.
Rios-Cruz grabs his second all-conference honor as a Tiger at defender, earning second-team honors this year after an honorable mention pick last year. He started all 17 matches during the regular season and leads the team in minutes played entering the conference tournament with 1,520. He has played over 4,000 minutes in his career at FHSU.
Jimenez was an honorable mention selection for the Tigers at defender for the second straight year. He has started all 17 matches this season and has three assists in 1,411 minutes played. He now has 10 assists in his two years with the Tigers.
Dixon picked up his first all-conference honor, receiving an honorable mention selection at goalkeeper. He moved into the starting role this season and picked up six wins in 13 matches played during the regular season with four shutouts.
Below is the 2023 All-GAC/MIAA Men’s Soccer Team.
GAC/MIAA Offensive Player of the Year: Unaiz Shajani, Southern Nazarene
GAC/MIAA Midfielder of the Year: Luke Morgan, Rogers State
GAC/MIAA Defensive Player of the Year: * Alvaro Sanchez, Southern Nazarene
GAC/MIAA Newcomer of the Year: Francisco Chong, Southern Nazarene
GAC/MIAA Coach of the Year: * Trevor Harmon, Southern Nazarene
2023 ALL-GAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
F * Unaiz Shajani Southern Nazarene Jr. Nairobii, Kenya
F Blake Arndt Fort Hays State Gr. Wichita, Kansas
F Bruno Ferreira Southern Nazarene Gr. Santos, Sau Paulo, Brazil
F Marcos Vasallo Rogers State Jr. Madrid Spain
MF Francisco Chong Southern Nazarene Jr. Maracay, Venezuela
MF Davi Dornelles Northeastern State Sr. Porto Algre, Brazil
MF Luke Morgan Rogers State Sr. Nottinghamshire England
MF Tadhg Walsh Fort Hays State So. Dublin, Ireland
D * Alvaro Sanchez Southern Nazarene Sr. Toledo, Spain
D Callum Frogson Fort Hays State So. Nottingham, England
D Sebastian Hernandez Rogers State Sr. Broken Arrow Oklahoma
D Miguel Torrecillas Southern Nazarene So. Albacete, Spain
GK Ian Milla Northeastern State Fr. Lima, Peru
2023 ALL-GAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
F Ebon Jordan Ouachita Baptist Sr. Cedar Hill, Texas
F Felix Ramirez Newman Sr. Almeria, Spain
F Alberto Romano Newman Jr. Cancun, Mexico
F Elias Ovelar Semeniuk Fort Hays State Fr. Asuncion, Paraguay
MF Agustin Ayala Fort Hays State So. Asuncion, Paraguay
MF Carlos Bellosta Manchon Newman Sr. Madrid, Spain
MF Grant King Rogers State Sr. Tulsa Oklahoma
MF Rinta Takagi Southern Nazarene So. Gifu, Japan
D Artur Carvalho Rogers State Fr. Faro, Portugal
D Esteban Ramirez Southern Nazarene Jr. Dallas, Texas
D Chris Rios-Cruz Fort Hays State Sr. San Antonio, Texas
D Trindon Turner Rogers State Jr. Edmond, Oklahoma
GK Declan Viljoen Rogers State Jr. Auckland New Zealand
2023 ALL-GAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER HONORABLE MENTION TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
F George Robinson Rogers State Sr. Maidstone England
MF Donovan Aparicio Northeastern State Jr. Dallas, Texas
MF Daniel Marcano Ouachita Baptist So. Caracas, Venezuela
MF Hugo Martin Rogers State So. Malaga Spain
D Marcovich Brown Northeastern State Jr. Gregory Park, Jamaica
D Inigo Jimenez Fort Hays State Sr. Madrid, Spain
D Ben Mings Northeastern State So. Colleyville, Texas
D Augustine Seaver Southern Nazarene Fr. Tokyo, Japan
D Matthew Sweetman Rogers State Jr. Portsmouth, England
GK Ben Dixon Fort Hays State Gr. Conroe, Texas
GK Andrej Krivokapic Southern Nazarene Fr. Niksic, Montenegro
Scholar Athlete Awards Winners
Elite
Trindon Turner, Rogers State
Distinguished
Scott Pengelly, Fort Hays State
Alex Plimmer, Fort Hays State
Blake Classen, Rogers State
Grant King, Rogers State
George Paul Robinson, Rogers State
Sebastian Hernandez, Rogers State
Jedidiah Huibregtse, Southern Nazarene