Five University of Evansville men’s soccer players earned postseason Missouri Valley Conference accolades on Thursday evening as the league held its postseason tournament banquet.
Mark Anthony Gonzalez was named to the All-Conference First Team as a midfielder while forward Nate Opperman was a member of the Second Team. Another middle – Ian McGrath – earned an Honorable Mention.
Gonzalez established himself as one of the top offensive players in the MVC. He tied for second in the conference with seven goals on the season while finishing third with 16 points in his 16 matches this season. He was also one of the most aggressive shooters in the league, taking 38 shots, 4th-most in the league.
This marks the third MVC First Team honor for the senior, who also earned All-Freshman honors in 2012. He has been one of the top scorers in the league since the beginning of the 2013 season.
Opperman earned a second-team honor as he recorded seven points in 2015. That came via three goals and an assist. Of his 23 total shots, 12 were on goal. His .522 SOG% was one of the best on the UE squad. The senior played in all 16 contests and notched a pair of game-winning goals for the Aces. This is his second conference accolade as he was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2012.
Sophomore Ian McGrath was also honored by the league, earning an Honorable Mention. McGrath finished in a tie for second on the squad with seven total points. He also wrapped up the season all alone in second with 37 shots. A member of the MVC All-Freshman Team last season, McGrath recorded two goals and three assists in his second season at UE and played in 15 matches.
Two Aces grabbed a spot on the All-Freshman Team as middle Zac Blaydes and defender Trevor Baum were named to the squad. Blaydes tied for second on the Evansville team with seven points. He recorded a goal and five assists. His five assists was the team’s top total. He played in all 16 games in his first collegiate season and took 12 shots.
Baum had the distinction of being the only defender named to the team. Despite playing in only nine matches, Baum’s play on the field saw him earn the recognition.
