Fort Hays State had nine selections to the 2014 All-MIAA Men’s Soccer team, highlighted by MIAA Player of the Year Tanner Brock and MIAA Freshman of the Year Mauricio Castorino. Announced Thursday (Nov. 6) by the conference office, Brock is joined on the First Team by Kent Freund, Eric Hymer, Diego Cabral and Michael Cole, while Castorino was picked to the Second Team alongside Carlos Linares and David Lucio. Drew Wilson was named honorable mention.
The nine All-MIAA honorees marks an all-time high for the FHSU Soccer program, summing up a regular season that saw the Tigers go 11-4-3 overall and 8-2-2 in the MIAA, securing the second seed in the MIAA Tournament (which begins Thursday in Olathe, Kan.). All told, six of the nine Tigers honored are repeat winners, with four earning their third All-MIAA nod.
Brock led the Tigers in goals (six) this season, matching the performance with six assists as well. Tied for the team lead in points (18), the senior midfielder started 16 games (appearing in 17) for FHSU. From Winfield, Kan., Brock has added game-winning goals at West Texas A&M, Harding, and at home against Upper Iowa. He sits second in the MIAA in total points this season, as well as third in assists (right behind Cabral).
Career-wise, Brock has played more minutes than any other Tiger in program history (6,295), ranking second in career games (74) while tied for the all-time lead in career starts (72). Brock is a three-time First Team selection, earning the honors in 2012 and 2013 as well. He is the first Fort Hays State Men’s Soccer student-athlete to earn MIAA Player of the Year, the program now in its fourth year of existence and third year in the MIAA.
Freund has appeared in 16 games for FHSU this season, starting 15 while logging 1,453 minutes in the net. A senior goalkeeper, Freund has picked up 64 saves on the year while allowing just 15 goals. From Garland, Texas, Freund’s 0.93 goals against average ranks second in the conference. This is the second All-MIAA award of his career after being honorable mention in 2012.
Hymer, a defenseman, leads the team with 1,649 minutes played for the year, anchoring a back line for the Tigers that has allowed 17 goals on the season. A senior from Overland Park, Kan., he has started all 18 games for FHSU this season, posting complete game performances in 15 contests this year. Hymer repeats for the third consecutive year as an All-MIAA First Team selection, earning the award in 2012 and 2013 as well.
Cabral led the Tigers with 10 assists on the season, adding four goals for 18 points (tied for first on the team). A senior midfielder, Cabral holds the school record for career points (84) and assists (36), posting a .556 shots on goal percentage for the season (30 shots on goal with 54 total shots). He ranks second in the conference in assists this season and in the Top 10 nationally. This is the third career All-MIAA honor for Cabral, who was picked Second Team in 2012 and 2013.
Cole ranks second on the team with five goals this season, adding three assists for 13 points. The junior forward posted a .533 shots on goal percentage (16 of 30 shots) and had three game-winners for the 2014 campaign. Cole’s game winning goals came against Colorado State-Pueblo in the season opener, at home against Southwest Baptist and in a key conference matchup at Lindenwood, when he hit a golden goal in the first overtime (2-1 win). The Round Rock, Texas native has developed a knack for clutch moments, ranking second all-time in career game-winning goals (seven) at FHSU. Cole picked up honorable mention honors in 2013 and was a Second Team selection in 2012.
Castorino’s debut at FHSU has been impressive in 2014, as the freshman forward has two goals and five assists (nine points). Castorino appeared in 14 games during the regular season, starting three while logging 627 minutes on the field. The Asuncion, Paraguay native made the most of his opportunities, firing 20 total shots on the year and putting 13 on goal. This is the second consecutive year that FHSU has produced the MIAA Freshman of the Year, as goalkeeper Jason Babyak won the award last year.
Linares grabs All-MIAA honors for the second year in a row after an honorable mention nod last year. The senior defender ranks third on the team with 1,487 minutes played for the year, joining Hymer on the back line for the Tigers that has allowed only 17 goals on the season. The Aurora, Colo., native has started 17 of 18 games for FHSU this season, posting complete game performances in 12 contests this year.
Lucio picks up the first All-MIAA honor of his career. From Wichita, Kan., the junior midfielder has provided steady play in the midfield for the Tigers, posting three goals and three assists in the regular season for nine points. He has a pair of game-winning goals this year, one at home against Lindenwood and the other on the road at Southwest Baptist.
Wilson picked up honorable mention honors for the first time in his career, playing just under 1,500 minutes (1,490) in 16 starts (17 appearances) for the Tiger defense. From Overland Park, Kan., he is one of the key components to the backline, helping limit opponents to a 0.91 goals against average for the year. On the offensive side of the ball, the sophomore has made an impact as well, scoring twice with one assist (five points).
The Tigers open postseason play Thursday (Nov. 6) in Olathe, Kan. for the MIAA Tournament Semifinals as the No. 2 seed. FHSU will play third-seeded Lindenwood at 4 p.m. from the College Boulevard Activities Complex.
The complete 2014 All-MIAA Soccer Team is below…
2014 ALL-MIAA SOCCER TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tanner Brock, MF, Fort Hays State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Mauricio Castorino, F, Fort Hays State
COACH OF THE YEAR
Rob Czlonka, Northeastern State
FIRST TEAM
GK: Kent Freund, Sr., Fort Hays State
D: Eric Hymer, Sr., Fort Hays State**
D: Adam Schmoker, Sr., Northeastern State
D: Terence Smith, Sr., Northeastern State
MF: Tanner Brock, Sr., Fort Hays State**
MF: Jordan Schmoker, Sr., Northeastern State
MF: Diego Cabral, Sr., Fort Hays State
MF: Ignacio Pizarro Romero, Sr., Lindenwood
MF: Leandro Pena, Jr., Upper Iowa
F: Juan Peralta, Sr., Northeastern State**
F: Michael Cole, Jr., Fort Hays State
F: Ryan Pinkerton, So., Upper Iowa
**Unanimous Selection
SECOND TEAM
GK: Jackson Biles, So., Northeastern State
D: Carlos Linares, Sr., Fort Hays State
D: Alejandro Cases Da Silva, Sr., Lindenwood
D: Crosby Lee, Jr., Northeastern State
MF: Edgar Pineda, Sr., Southern Nazarene
MF: David Lucio, Jr., Fort Hays State
MF: Hayden Rasmussen, Fr., Northeastern State
MF: Justin Schaeffer, Sr., Southwest Baptist
MF: Johnny McBeth, Fr., Upper Iowa
F: Andre Hayne, Jr., Lindenwood
F: Mauricio Castorino, Fr., Fort Hays State
F: Ricardo Palomino, Fr., Northeastern State
F: Blake Rodgers, Sr., Southern Nazarene
HONORABLE MENTION
Fort Hays State: Drew Wilson, D.
Harding: Phillip White, D; Cole Walker, F; Barry Foster, F.
Lindenwood: Jeremy Tutas, D.
Northeastern State: Chance Miller, D; Frank Garay, MF; Justin Todd, F.
Southern Nazarene: Matthew Lawrence, D; Javier Caballeros, F.
Upper Iowa: Connor Rortvedt, GK; Hugo Alves, D; Seb Smith, D; Rhys Williams, D; Fausto Ordenana, MF.