Co-champion Vikings, Yellowjackets lead UMAC men's soccer postseason awards
ST. PAUL, Minn.---Bethany Lutheran College and the University of Wisconsin-Superior shared the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) men's soccer regular season title after splitting the teams' two contests prior to the tournament. For outstanding efforts this fall, the two squads split the top UMAC postseason accolades and led the all-conference awards totals, it was announced Wednesday.
The Vikings' Mx Busch repeated as UMAC Offensive Player of the Year, while Liam Peterson grabbed the Defensive Player of the Year nod. Yellowjacket defender Josh Bellamy was named the Rookie of the Year and head coach Joe Mooney was selected as Coach of the Year for the third time since joining the UMAC in 2015.
The Vikings won the program's first-ever UMAC regular season men's soccer title with a 13-1 conference record thanks in large part to standout forward Busch. The junior earned the top UMAC award for the second time in as many seasons after leading the Vikings' offensive attach. In conference play, Busch led the league in shots per game (5.07) and shots on goal per game (3.14). He was second in goals (14) and points (33) and seventh in assists (5). His five game-winners were the most in the conference. Overall this season, Busch tallied 18 goals, seven assists and 43 points and ranked in the NCAA Division III top 10 for shots and shot on goal for most of the year.
Busch's involvement was critical for the Vikings' team success in big games. In the series opening road win over the Yellowjackets, Busch recorded both goals including the game winner. He also tallied the lone goal in a crucial 1-0 shutout of third-place Northland College on Sept. 25 to remain in contention for the conference title. Busch tallied hat tricks in both wins against rival Martin Luther College and scored two or more goals five times in conference play. He was involved in the scoring in 13 games this season and had a hand in two or more goals in eight games.
While Busch was the catalyst for the Vikings' offensive success, Peterson was the anchor to the defensive success. The Vikings were 1-3 prior to Peterson moving to center back and 12-3 in contests following. He helped the Viking defensive line shutout UMAC teams five times. Additionally, the Viking defense allowed just eight goals in conference play and did not give up more than one goal in a single game to a UMAC team – the only conference team to achieve this feat. In addition to leading the team's defense, Peterson also recorded one goal and two assists during his junior campaign.
The co-champion Yellowjackets also had success due to stout defense that led the conference. Part of that was due to the strong play of first-year Bellamy. With him playing outside back, the Yellowjackets allowed a conference-low seven total goals in league play and .500 goals against average (GAA). The Yellowjackets also tallied nine shutouts against UMAC teams. In addition to his defensive efforts, the first-year defender tallied 16 points and six goals this season including the overtime game-winner in the UMAC postseason tournament championship against the Vikings Saturday.
The 2021 season continued a streak of recent success for Mooney's Yellowjacket squad. The veteran coach led the yellowjackets to a 13-1 conference record and a fourth-consecutive regular season title. He also helped the team to a fifth-straight postseason championship to earn the program's fourth NCAA tournament berth in the last five years – there was no NCAA championship in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mooney's Yellowjackets topped the all-conference awards eight total selections across all three teams including three First Team nods. Co-champion Bethany Lutheran had seven total awards but led the First Team selections with four. Northland College and the University of Northwestern each advanced to the UMAC tournament and had two First Team picks with Northland earning seven total selections as well.
Offensive Player of the Year Busch is one of just two players to have earned three-straight First Team honors. Blake Perry of the Yellowjackets is the other player to do so and the only individual recognized to have been named to one of the three teams in each of his four seasons. Carter Watkinson (University of Minnesota Morris) and Scott Wilson (Wisconsin-Superior) have also been selected to one of the all-conference teams three times in each of their careers.
Seven other players have been selected at least twice in their careers to the all-conference list including Cole Alfrey (Northwestern), Protus Babaya (Wisconsin-Superior), Jamie Colvill (Northland), Lee Dennis (Northland), Blake Doyea (Wisconsin-Superior), Ainsworth Grant (Northland), and Lucas Martin (Martin Luther).
North Central 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 - Max Busch, Jr., Bethany Lutheran
#Defensive Player of the Year - Liam Peterson, Jr., Bethany Lutheran
%Rookie of the Year - Josh Bellamy, Fy., Wisconsin-Superior
Coach of the Year - Joe Mooney, Wisconsin-Superior
2021 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference First Team
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Tomas Abreu |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
MF |
Lisbon, Portugal/Escola Youse Afonso |
| Alejandro Alfaro |
Northwestern |
Fy. |
MF |
Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta |
| Cole Alfrey |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
D |
Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn |
| Protus Babaya |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
MF |
Elk River, Minn./Elk River |
| Josh Bellamy% |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fy. |
D |
High Wycombe, England/FAB Football Academy |
| Max Busch* |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
F |
Odenthal, Germany/Gynasium Odenthal |
| Diego Castaneda |
Northland |
Jr. |
F |
Nuevo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, El Salvador |
| Jamie Colvill |
Northland |
So. |
G |
Canvey Island, Essex, England |
| Austin Gunkel |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
G |
Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View |
| Blake Perry |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
F |
Anoka, Minn./Anoka |
| Liam Peterson# |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
D |
Port Orchard, Wash./Evergreen Lutheran |
| Agostino Quadrio Curzio |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
MF |
Lecco, Italy/Couecto Volta |
2021 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Second Team
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Harry Ambler |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fy. |
D |
Reading, England/Little Heath School |
| Izaak Clarke |
Northland |
So. |
F |
Middlesbrough, England/Druid Hills |
| Blake Doyea |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
F |
Ramsey, Minn./Anoka |
| Ainsworth Grant |
Northland |
Sr. |
D |
Morvant, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Xander Heiman |
Martin Luther |
Jr. |
MF |
Sahuarita, Ariz./Luther Prep |
| Tim Jaeger |
Crown |
Fy. |
MF |
Monchengladbach, Germany/Clara Schumann |
| Elliot Lebsack |
North Central |
Jr. |
F |
Kearney, Neb./Kearney |
| Nick Lundberg |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
G |
Mankato, Minn./Makato West |
| Lucas Martin |
Martin Luther |
Jr. |
F |
Jefferson, Wis./Luther Prep |
| Gianluca Trastulli |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
D |
Rome, Italy/San Glouani |
| Carter Watkinson |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
MF |
Farmington, Minn./Farmington |
| Scott Wilson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
MF |
Ladybank, Scotland/Bell Baxter |
2021 UMAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Honorable Mention
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Weston Buckley |
North Central |
Jr. |
MF |
Budapest, Hungary/International Christian School of Budapest |
| Jerad Buse |
North Central |
Jr. |
F |
Kearney, Neb./Kearney |
| Tim DeLoye |
Northwestern |
Fy. |
D |
Wausau, Wis./Wausau West |
| Lee Dennis |
Northland |
Sr. |
MF |
Chochura, N.H. |
| Nick Diaz |
Northland |
Fy. |
MF |
Burbank, Calif. |
| Jon Goenega Etxarri |
Northland |
Fy. |
D |
Andoain, Spain |
| Lucas Harmon |
Minnesota Morris |
Sr. |
G |
Winona, Minn./Winona |
| Mo Hoefs |
Minnesota Morris |
Fy. |
D |
Grand Forks, N.D./Red River |
| David Martin |
Martin Luther |
So. |
D |
Saginaw, Mich./Michigan Lutheran Seminary |
| Mayson Palen |
Minnesota Morris |
Fy. |
F |
Missoula, Mont./Frenchtown |
| Alex Paredes |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fy. |
G |
Mequon, Wis./Homestead |
| Jamie Smith |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
F |
Kingston, Jamaica/Jamaica College |
| Nicolai Stokker |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
F |
Klokkarstua, Norway/St. Hallvard |
| Adam Vang |
North Central |
Jr. |
MF |
Green Bay, Wis./Green Bay Southwest |
| Koby Wesselink |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
F |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Linn-Mar |
2021 UMAC Men's Soccer Sportsmanship Awards
Team Award - North Central
Bethany Lutheran - Aidan Whitcomb, Jr., Otsego, Minn./Rogers
Crown - Jakob Grein, Sr., Columbia Falls, Mont./Columbia Falls
Martin Luther - Clayton Hirsch, Sr., Jefferson, Wis./Luther Prep
Minnesota Morris - Cooper Jones, Fy., Mankato, Minn./Mankato West
North Central - Rodrigo de Mendoza, Sr., Panama City, Panama/Crossroads Christian Academy
Northland - Kyle Rhines, So., Farmington, N.H.
Northwestern - Isaac Friesen, So., Mora, Minn./Homeschool
Wisconsin-Superior - Payton Anderson, Sr., Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing