SDSU MEN'S SOCCER EARNS SEVEN ALL-PAC-12 HONORS

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Aztecs’ Travis Nicklaw, Pablo Pelaez receive second-team recognition

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: Pablo Pelaez courtesy goaztecs.com

November 15, 2016 (San Diego) - The San Diego State men’s soccer team had seven players earn all-Pac-12 honors as announced Tuesday by the league office. Travis Nicklaw and Pablo Pelaez garnered second-team accolades, while Adam Allmaras, Matt Callahan, Casey Macias, Jeroen Meefout, and Michael Sauers received honorable mention.

The seven all-conference selections match the team’s second-highest total since SDSU joined the Pac-12 in 2005.

Nicklaw, who earned all-Pac-12 honorable mention at defender in 2015, was moved to forward this year and paced the team with five goals during the regular season, which tied for fifth in the conference. Four of his five tallies were game-winners in victories over No. 1 Akron (Sept. 2), crosstown foe San Diego (Sept. 25), No. 16 Washington (Oct. 2) and California (Oct. 23).  In Pac-12 matches, Nicklaw tied for the league lead with 29 shots and 2.90 shots per contest. He was also selected Pac-12 Player of the Week on two occasions this year and earned a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on Sept 6.  

Pelaez was one of the league’s top freshmen in 2016, finishing second on the squad with seven points on two goals and three assists. The Aztec midfielder ranked eighth in the conference with 39 shots during the regular season to tie Nicklaw for the team lead. Pelaez scored his first collegiate goal at Stanford on Oct. 13, and notched his first game-winner in an SDSU uniform with under 10 seconds remaining at No. 11 Washington on Nov. 6 to help the Aztecs sweep the Huskies for the first time in program history.   

Allmaras collected his second straight all-conference certificate after receiving honorable mention last season. The SDSU goalkeeper led the Pac-12 with 11 shutouts this year, including five in conference play, to move into second place on the school’s single-season list. He now has 21 clean sheets for his career, which is tied for third on the Aztecs’ all-time charts. In addition, Allmaras topped the league with an .855 save percentage and a .622 goals against average in all matches, which rank fifth and 14th, respectively, in the nation. With his success, the SDSU redshirt junior was twice named Pac-12 Player of the Week earlier this season and landed on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week on Oct. 4.

Callahan and Macias picked up their first all-Pac-12 honors after anchoring Aztec defense that currently ranks third nationally in shutout percentage (.610) and 10th in goals against average for the season (.622). With the two seniors along the backline, SDSU has allowed the fewest goals (12) in the Pac-12 this year.

Callahan, who logged third-most minutes on the team this season (1,581), earned a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week on Oct. 3, after leading the Aztecs to a 1-0-1 start to open Pac-12 play. The Aztec defender turned in an all-round performance in two contest, scoring his first goal of the year in a 1-1 draw vs. Oregon State, while contributing to a 1-0 shutout of No. 16 Washington after the Huskies entered the contest with a conference-best 19 goals. He also has two assists against league opponents this year, including one on the game-winner at California on Oct. 16.

A starter in 17 of 18 matches, Macias has attempted 18 shots this season, including two on net. The SDSU defender scored his first goal of the year in a 1-1 stalemate vs. No. 12 Stanford at home on Oct. 20, as the Aztecs snapped the Cardinal’s five-match winning streak to open Pac-12 play.

Meefout also received all-Pac-12 recognition for the first time in his career after netting four goals during the regular season, which is tied for 10th in the conference. Earlier, the SDSU junior forward recorded braces in a pair of victories over UT Rio Grande Valley and Memphis, helping the Aztecs capture the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament championship. For his efforts, Meefout was named the most outstanding offensive player of the event, earning Pac-12 Player of the Week honors to go along with a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week. He currently ranks third on the team with 25 shots, including 13 on goal.

In his lone season on the Mesa, Sauers garnered his first all-Pac-12 accolade after finishing with seven points on three goals and one assist. The SDSU senior scored the golden goal in the team’s dramatic 1-0 victory at California in a driving rainstorm to lift the Aztecs to their first victory in Berkeley since 2009. He also had the game-winner in another 1-0 triumph over Bradley in the Gonzaga Soccer Tournament. Despite a battle with injuries, Sauers has 14 of 16 matches he has appeared in and has recorded the most minutes of any forward on the team so far this year (1,056).

San Diego State, which is ranked 19th in the latest NSCAA coaches poll and 15th by Soccer America, received its first NCAA tournament berth since 2006 and will square off against UNLV in its first-round match on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT atop SDSU Sports Deck.

2016 MEN’S SOCCER ALL-PAC-12

(Name/School/Position/Year)

FIRST TEAM

Corey Baird, Stanford, F, Jr.

Jose Carerra-Garcia, California, F/MF, RS-Jr.

Andrew Epstein, Stanford, GK, RS-JR

Jose Hernandez, UCLA, MF, So.

Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Stanford, D, Jr.

Foster Langsdorf, Stanford, F, Jr. 

Nick Lima, California, D, Sr.

Justin Schmidt, Washington, D, RS-Sr.

Brian Nana-Sinkam, Stanford, D, Sr.

Christian Thierjung, California, F/MF, Sr.

Jackson Yueill, UCLA, MF, So.

SECOND TEAM

Travis Nicklaw, San Diego State, F, RS-Sr.

Pablo Pelaez, San Diego State, MF, RS-Fr.

Seyi Adekoya, UCLA, F, Sr.

Handwalla Bwana, Washington, MF, Fr.

Brian Iloski, UCLA, MF, RS-Jr.

Jordan Jones, Oregon State, F, Jr.

Timmy Mueller, Oregon State, F, Jr.

Auden Schilder, Washington, GK, RS-Jr.

Drew Skundrich, Stanford, MF, Jr.

Felix Vobejda, UCLA, MF, Sr.

Henry Wingo, Washington, MF, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Adam Allmaras, San Diego State, GK, RS-Jr.

Matt Callahan, San Diego State, D, Sr.

Casey Macias, San Diego State, MF, Sr.

Jeroen Meefout, San Diego State, F, Jr.

Michael Sauers, San Diego State, F, Sr.

Michael Amick, UCLA, D, Sr.

Kyle Coffee, Washington, F, RS-So.

Abu Danladi, UCLA, F, Jr.

Erik Holt, UCLA, D, So.

Bryce Marion, Stanford, MF, Jr.

Paul Salcedo, California, F, Jr.

Co-Pac-12 Players of the Year – Jose Hernandez, MF, So., UCLA and Foster Langsdorf, F, Jr., Stanford

Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year – Tomas Hilliard-Arce, D, Jr., Stanford

Pac-12 Freshman of the Year – Handwalla Bwana, M, Fr., Washington

Pac-12 Coach of the Year – Jeremy Gunn, Stanford


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