Spokane, WA – Simon Fraser University men's soccer team forward and Coquitlam, BC native Carlo Basso has been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year along with Tyler Schultz of Seattle Pacific University. Both players received three votes in the balloting from the league's six head coaches.
Basso led the conference with 16 goals during the 2011 season. The SFU sophomore also finished second in points (32) and points per game average (1.68) while Schultz finished the regular-season as the GNAC leader in total points (33) and points per game (1.83).
“Obviously an individual accomplishment like this feels great but the real success this season was the team going undefeated. I couldn't have won this award without the great teammates I got to play with,” said Basso. “We set a lot of goals for this season and we were able to achieve all of them, it's really rewarding to receive this honour on top of it all.”
The Clan had several other award winners today, chosen by the conference coaches as midfielder Justin Wallace (Kamloops, BC) was named GNAC Newcomer of the Year and Chris Bargholz (Fuessen, Germany) received the GNAC Freshman of the Year Award.
Wallace was ranked second in the conference in assists with eight and Bargholz, finished the regular-season ranked seventh in scoring with 17 points (7 goals, 3 assists, 1.13 average).
Not to be outdone, SFU head coach Alan Koch was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year by his peers.
Koch, who shared the award last season with Mark Collings of Seattle Pacific, led SFU to the school's first unbeaten season in history (18-0-1) and a No. 1 national ranking in the National Soccer Coaches' national poll.
"Personal accolades like this award are impossible to achieve without an amazing support staff. I feel very fortunate that we have some incredible people at SFU," said Koch. "Our teams coaching staff - Clint Schneider, Peter Doyle, and Leigh Sembaluk - have been a huge part of our success this season. I am incredibly grateful for their support and expertise. Colin Wallace, our athletic therapist, and all of the staff in the physio have done a remarkable job in keeping our players healthy. Derek Hansen and his strength and conditioning work have made us into one of the most athletic teams in the NCAA. Kelly Weber and the admin staff continue to go the extra mile to make life easier for everyone in our department. The event staff, the equipment room, the list is endless."
"Our team appreciates all of the efforts of those supporting us. Finally, without our student-athletes supreme efforts an undefeated season would not have been achieved. History was written in 2011 by a special group of men who had a winning mentality and the desire to take care of business no matter how much adversity came their way."
In two seasons in the GNAC, Koch has led SFU to a 37-2-1 record and back-to-back conference titles. In four seasons at SFU, he has a career record of 56-10-2.
SFU dominated the all-star voting as well, earning five spots on the first team.
Basso was a unanimous selection along with midfielder Josh Bennett (Hamilton, ON) and defender Matt Besuschko (Port Moody, BC). Max Baessato (Maple Ridge, BC) and Anthony DiNicolo (Maple Ridge, BC) were also named first team all stars.
Wallace, Bargholz, Michael Winter (Vancouver, BC) and Sheldon Steenhuis (Morgan Hill, CA) were all named second team all stars.
In total, nine SFU players were named to the first and second team all-star rosters while Farhad Abdulgani (Oslo, Norway) received honourable mention.
2011 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER ALL-STAR TEAM
First Team:
Forwards - +Carlo Basso, Simon Fraser (6-3, So, Coquitlam, BC); **+Tyler Schultz, Seattle Pacific (5-11, Sr., Scottsdale, AZ); *Xan Nixon, Saint Martin's (6-0, Sr., Seattle, WA). Midfielders - *+Josh Bennett, Simon Fraser (5-8, Sr., Hamilton, Ont.); *Caleb Nyone, Seattle Pacific (6-1, Jr., Happy Valley, OR); **Kellan Brown, Western Washington (5-7, Sr., Tacoma, WA). Defenders – +Jon Pearman, Seattle Pacific (6-2, Jr., Glendale, AZ); +Matt Besuschko, Simon Fraser (5-10, So., Port Moody, BC); *Max Baessato, Simon Fraser (6-0, Jr., North Vancouver, BC); Anthony DiNicolo, Simon Fraser (5-10, Sr., Maple Ridge, BC); Connor Moe, Montana State Billings (6-1, Jr., Snohomish, WA). Goalkeeper - Zach Johnson, Seattle Pacific (6-3, Jr., Snohomish, WA). *Repeater (Nixon from 2009) **Two-time repeater +Unanimous
Second Team:
Forward - Thomas Sheets, MSU Billings (5-9, Jr., Snohomish, WA). Midfielders - Drew Williams, Seattle Pacific (5-7, Sr., Bend, OR); Oscar Jimenez, Western Washington (5-8, Sr., Mount Vernon, WA); Justin Wallace, Simon Fraser (5-11, So., Kamloops, BC); Chris Bargholz, Simon Fraser (5-8, Fr., Fuessen, Germany); Thomas Chameraud, MSU Billings (6-0, Jr.,, Poitiers, France); Jose Oregon, Northwest Nazarene (5-9, Jr., Nampa, ID); Austin Kelley, Saint Martin's (6-1, Sr., Olympia, WA); Michael Winter, Simon Fraser (5-11, Jr., Vancouver, BC). Defenders - Stephen Marshall, Northwest Nazarene (5-10, Jr., Palm Springs, CA). Goalkeepers - Alexander Engeman, Northwest Nazarene (6-2, Sr., Fort Collins, CO); Sheldon Steenhuis, Simon Fraser (6-2, Jr., Morgan Hill, CA).
Honorable Mention:
Forwards - Garion Holian, MSU Billings (5-11, Sr., Missoula, MT); Dylan Gaydosh, Saint Martin's (6-2, So., Federal Way, WA); Farhad Abdulgani, Simon Fraser (6-1, So., Oslo, Norway). Midfielders - Chris Morris, Seattle Pacific (6-0, Jr., Mercer Island, WA); CJ Chu, Saint Martin's (5-10, So., Des Moines, WA); Daniel Starbuck, Northwest Nazarene (5-11, Fr., Nottingham, England); Kodi Gamble, Seattle Pacific (5-9, So., Tucson, AZ). Defenders - Brandon Scott, Saint Martin's (5-6, Jr., Tacoma, WA); Brandon Kuenzi, Seattle Pacific (6-2, Jr., Silverton, OR); Isaac Kerr, MSU Billings (6-4, Fr., Coylton, Scotland); Justin Moore, Western Washington (5-9, Jr., Port Orchard, WA); James Schmidt, Saint Martin's (6-0, Sr., Maple Valley, WA); Aaron Becerril, Western Washington (6-1, Fr., Woodinville, WA). Goalkeeper - Keegan Rogers, Western Washington (6-1, Fr., Portland, OR)
Player-of-the-Year – Tyler Schultz, Seattle Pacific, and Carlo Basso, Simon Fraser University
Defensive Player-of-the-Year – Jon Pearman, Seattle Pacific.
Newcomer-of-the-Year – Justin Wallace, Simon Fraser University
Freshman-of-the-Year – Chris Bargholz, Simon Fraser University
Coach-of-the-Year –
Alan Koch, Simon Fraser University
