Yellowjacket trio leads UMAC men's soccer postseason awards list
ST. PAUL, Minn.---The University of Wisconsin-Superior repeated as both Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) men's soccer regular and postseason champions in 2019. Following those milestones, the Yellowjackets see continued repeat success as they again captured three of the top four awards and led the all-conference list with eight total honorees, it was announced Wednesday.
Repeat honors came for the Yellowjackets' A.J. Olson as he was tabbed the UMAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second-consecutive season while Joe Mooney was again named the Coach of the Year by his peers for the second time in as many seasons. Yellowjacket senior captain Eric Watson won the Offensive Player of the Year award, and the nation's leading scorer in Max Busch of Bethany Lutheran College was selected Rookie of the Year.
Mooney's squad won the UMAC regular season with a perfect 8-0 conference mark for a second-straight unbeaten season. With two more wins in the postseason, Mooney has guided the Yellowjackets to a 33-game unbeaten streak against UMAC teams – including postseason – that dates back to the beginning of October 2017. In the regular season, the Yellowjackets outscored their opponents 43-3 averaging 5.375 goals per game and converting 5-of-7 penalty kicks to lead the conference. This year, the Yellowjackets head to a third NCAA tournament appearance with an overall 16-3-2 record and have now won nine-straight games. Two of their losses and one tie this season come against regionally-ranked tournament bound teams.
Watson closed out his impressive career in a big way as the champion Yellowjackets' top offensive weapon. In conference games, Watson was third in UMAC scoring with 19 points and was second in goals wih nine. He recorded four conference game-winners including a penalty kick conversion in overtime against Martin Luther College in treacherous rain conditions. Watson enters the NCAA tournament with 33 points and 15 goals this season which helped him become the program-leader in career goals scored. He was twice selected as the UMAC Player of the Week and concludes his career with his fourth selection to one of the three all-conference lists including his second time on First Team.
The Yellowjackets were not only dominant on the offensive half, but were very impressive defensively thanks in large part to Olson who is the first repeat Defensive Player of the Year since 2014 and the fifth-straight award winner for the Yellowjackets. Olson led a defense that surrendered just three goals in conference play and did not allow an opponent more than one in a single game. He anchored a 'Jacket defense that allowed a total of just 18 shots on goal in conference play and tallied five shutout wins. Olson added two assists to his stat line this season.
Bethany Lutheran had an impressive season this fall with a 5-2-1 conference record to qualify for the UMAC postseason for the first time since 2015. That was due largely to rookie forward Busch who led all conference players in UMAC games in goals (11) and points (24). Overall, Busch helped Bethany Lutheran to lead NCAA Division III in scoring (3.25 gpg) and points (11.47). He scored 25 goals and 53 points to lead the nation individually in scoring (1.56 gpg) and points (3.25 ppg). Three times in UMAC regular season play Busch also scored at least three goals.
The Yellowjackets topped the all-conference awards with four First Team selections to lead their total eight across all three teams. Runner-up College of St. Scholastica and Bethany Lutheran each posted the next highest total with seven total honorees. Watson was one of just three players to earn all-conference accolades in each of his four season. Joe Graumann of Martin Luther was a two-time First Team and two-time Second Team honoree as well as the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year, while University of Northwestern senior Derrick Aminga was First Team this season after being a three-time Honorable Mention selection previously.
Gabe Arreguin (University of Minnesota Morris) and Armin Bobaric (St. Scholastica) are the only other players to have been selected to one of the teams three times in their careers. Olson is the only one of seven players named all-conference twice in their careers to be a First Team honoree both times. The other six include Riley Loukinen (North Central University), Blake Perry (Wisconsin-Superior), Jonny Sehloff (Bethany Lutheran), Devon Thompson (Minnesota Morris), Taylor Tran (St. Scholastica) and Dalton VonKaenel (Wisconsin-Superior).
Martin Luther won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season, including the championship event. Each team also had one representative named to the individual sportsmanship award list.
*Offensive Player of the Year - Eric Watson, Sr., Wisconsin-Superior
#Defensive Player of the Year - A.J. Olson, Jr., Wisconsin-Superior
%Rookie of the Year - Max Busch, Fy., Bethany Lutheran
Coach of the Year - Joe Mooney, Wisconsin-Superior
2019 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference First Team
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Derrick Aminga |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
MF |
Andover, Minn./Andover |
| Corey Bulheller |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
GK |
Middleton, England/Highfields Secondary |
| Max Busch |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
F |
Odenthal, Germany/Gynasium Odenthal |
| Alex Dodd |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
MF |
Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville |
| Joe Graumann |
Martin Luther |
Sr. |
F |
Fort Atkinson, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran |
| Danny Kearns |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
MF |
Greenock, Scotland/Clydeview Academy |
| A.J. Olson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
D |
Chanhassen, Minn./Chanhassen |
| Blake Perry |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
F |
Anoka, Minn./Anoka |
| Ken Pryde |
St. Scholastica |
Fy. |
D |
Fareham, England/Barton Peveril |
| Taylor Tran |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
D |
Northridge, Calif./Granada Hills Charter |
| Eric Watson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
F |
Thunder Bay, Ontario/Hammarskjold |
2019 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Second Team
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Gabe Arreguin |
Minnesota Morris |
Sr. |
MF |
Waseca, Minn./Waseca |
| Armin Bobaric |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
MF |
Andover, Minn./Andover |
| Marcel Campabadel |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
F |
Villisar de Mar, Catalonia, Spain/Ins Vilatzara |
| Jonah Evans |
Northland |
So. |
F |
Viroqua, Wis./Youth Initiative |
| Nolan Friday |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
MF |
Duluth, Minn./Duluth East |
| Harvey Holcombe |
Crown |
Sr. |
D |
Locust Grove, Va./Eastern View |
| James Nitz |
Martin Luther |
So. |
D |
Lilongwe 3, Malawi/Luther Prep |
| Thijs Oldenhof |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
D |
Utrecht, Netherlands/St. Bonifatus |
| Luuk Oosterbosch |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
F |
Veldhoven, Netherlands/Sondervick |
| Devon Thompson |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
D |
Moorhead, Minn./Moorhead |
| Dalton VonKaenel |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
GK |
Eagan, Minn./Eagan |
| Scott Wilson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
D |
Ladybank,Scotland/Bell Baxter |
2019 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Honorable Mention
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Cole Alfrey |
Northwestern |
So. |
D |
Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn |
| Charly Anzures Catalan |
St. Scholastica |
Fy. |
D |
Minneapolis, Minn./Cristo Rey |
| Joao Bastos |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
MF |
Piracicaba, Brazil/Dom Basco Piracicaba |
| Moritz Bruns |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
GK |
Leer, Germany/BBS 1 Leer |
| Lee Dennis |
Northland |
Sr. |
D |
Chochura, N.H. |
| Blake Doyea |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
MF |
Ramsey, Minn./Anoka |
| Josh Higgins |
Martin Luther |
Jr. |
GK |
Watertown, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran |
| Clay Hirsch |
Martin Luther |
So. |
MF |
Jefferson, Wis./Luther Prep |
| Riley Loukinen |
North Central |
Sr. |
D |
Little Falls, Minn./Little Falls |
| Grant Moody |
Crown |
Fy. |
F |
Aurora, Neb./Aurora |
| Miguel Ocampo |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
MF |
St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park |
| Henry Puchuela |
North Central |
Sr. |
MF |
Ecaudor/Richfield |
| Harry Reed |
Northland |
Fy. |
D |
Surrey, England/Merrist Wood |
| Jonny Sehloff |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
MF |
Mankato, Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran |
| Aaron Wackerfuss |
Minnesota Morris |
So. |
D |
Chaska, Minn./Chaska |
| Carter Watkinson |
Minnesota Morris |
Fy. |
MF |
Farmington, Minn./Farmington |
2019 UMAC Men's Soccer Sportsmanship Awards
Team Award - Martin Luther
Bethany Lutheran - Daan Huntjens, Fy., Venray, Netherlands/Cios Siitard
Crown - Deven Cairns, Jr., Madrid, Spain/Evangelical Christian Schoola
Martin Luther - Nathan Lemke, Sr., Jefferson, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran
Minnesota Morris - Alexi Harmon, Sr., Winona, Minn./Winona
North Central - Ike Lewerenz, Sr., Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg
Northland - Jesse Kahn, Sr., La Farge, Wis./La Farge
Northwestern - Jaron Harthoorn, So., Sanborn, Iowa/Western Christian
St. Scholastica - Taylor Tran, So., Northridge, Calif./Granada Hills Charter
Wisconsin-Superior - Flavio Hatorri, Sr., Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil/Anglo