Kansas City, Mo. – MIAA regular season champion Lindenwood had four students athletes named first team All-MIAA as the Men’s Soccer team was announced today. The top three seeds in this season’s MIAA each had at least three players earn first team honors as the tournament is set to begin today.
Lindenwood’s Mauricio Medina was a unanimous first team selection and was named this season’s MIAA Player of the Year. Medina has five goals and seven assists from his midfield position for the Lions.
Fort Hays State goalkeeper Jason Babyak has been named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Babyak made 11 starts this season earning a 1.03 goals against average and made 41 saves as he posted five shutouts.
Carl Hutter was named Coach of the Year after guiding Lindenwood to an unbeaten season and their second straight MIAA regular season championship.
The back line for the first team consists of Lindenwood goalkeeper Fermin Hughes and defenders Eric Heymer of Fort Hays State, Rodney Mays of Lindenwood and Eric Crawford of Northeastern State.
The middle is anchored by MIAA Player of the Year Medina, joined by Northeastern State’s Jordan Schmoker and Fort Hays State’s Tanner Brock. The front line consists of Lindenwood’s Aris Nukic, Northeastern State’s Juan Peralta and Fort Hays State’s Ricardo Yeverino.
The MIAA Tournament is scheduled to get underway today from the College Boulevard Activities Complex in Olathe, Kan.
Player of the Year
Mauricio Medina, Sr., MF, Lindenwood
Freshman of the Year
Jason Babyak, GK, Fort Hays State
Coach of the Year
Carl Hutter, Lindenwood
1st Team All-MIAA
Goalkeeper – Fermin Hughes, So., Lindenwood
Defender – Eric Hymer, Jr., Fort Hays State
Defender – Rodney Mays, Sr., Lindenwood
Defender – Eric Crawford, Jr., Northeastern State
Midfield – Mauricio Medina, Sr., Lindenwood^
Midfield – Jordan Schmoker, Jr., Northeastern State
Midfield – Tanner Brock, Jr., Fort Hays State
Forward – Aris Nukic, So., Lindenwood
Forward – Juan Peralta, Jr., Northeastern State
Forward – Ricardo Yeverino, Sr., Fort Hays State
^ = Unanimous Selection
2nd Team All-MIAA
Goalkeeper – Jason Babyak, Fr., Fort Hays State
Defender – Adam Schmoker, Jr., Northeastern State
Defender – Terence Smith, Jr., Northeastern State
Defender – Craig McTear, Sr., Lindenwood
Defender – Chance Miller, So., Northeastern State
Midfield – Joel Mendoza, So., Northeastern State
Midfield – Diego Cabral, Jr., Fort Hays State
Midfield – Leandro Pena, So., Upper Iowa
Forward – Daniel Peralta, Sr., Fort Hays State
Forward – Ignacio Pizarro, Jr., Lindenwood
Forward – Kaleb Romero, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Four defenders due to tie in the voting
Honorable Mention
Goalkeeper – Eric Shephard, So., Northeastern State
Defender – Carlos Linares, Jr., Fort Hays State; Phillip White, Fr., Harding; Kevin Pineda, Jr., Harding; Ithiel Turrado Vale, Jr., Lindenwood; Axel Duarte, Sr., Lindenwood; Sebastian Smith, So., Upper Iowa
Midfield – Jacob Stevens, Jr., Harding; Jackson Buchanan, Fr., Harding; Guillermo Tabuyo, Fr., Lindenwood; Alfredo Paez, Jr., Lindenwood; Brad Tippin, Fr., Southwest Baptist; Justin Schaeffer, Jr., Southwest Baptist; Josh Thomas, Sr., Southern Nazarene; Edgar Pineda, Jr., Southern Nazarene; Rafael Pedroso, So., Upper Iowa
Forward – Michael Cole, So., Fort Hays State; Ryan Wilhelm, Sr., Harding; Andre Hayne, Jr., Lindenwood; Paul Samia, So., Northeastern State; Edgar Gonzaga, Sr., Northeastern State; Blake Rodgers, Jr., Southern Nazarene; Aaron Calkins, So., Upper Iowa