Tuesday, November 7, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Leading Simon Fraser to its second-straight GNAC title in his first full season, Clan freshman Marcello Polisi is the GNAC Player of the Year, leading selections for the 2017 GNAC Men’s Soccer All-Conference Team.

Polisi is joined by four teammates as First Team All-Conference selections, including two-time GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Magnus Kristensen and GNAC Freshman of the Year Matteo Polisi. Behind the trio, Simon Fraser won its sixth GNAC title in eight years.

After redshirting last year, Marcello Polisi started all 17 games for almost 1,500 minutes this season. His dominance in the middle of the pitch conducted a dynamic Clan attack, as Polisi was an instrumental part of a Simon Fraser midfield that was without reigning D2CCAA West Region Player of the Year senior Adam Jones for half the season. Polisi finished the regular season with a goal and an assist.

For the second year in a row, the GNAC sees two head coaches share the Coach of the Year award. Simon Fraser’s Clint Schneider is honored for the second-straight season while Montana State Billings’ Alex Balog wins his first GNAC honor. In his third season as head coach, Schneider has guided the Clan to three winning seasons and will appear in the NCAA Division II Championships for the second consecutive year. In his fifth year at the helm, Balog led the Yellowjackets to a tie for third place with a 6-6-0 GNAC record.

Winning Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, Kristensen led a Clan backline that allowed just 14 goals including eight shutouts. The senior was second on the team in minutes and started in all 17 games. Along with his defensive efforts, the central defender tallied two goals and three assists for seven points. Matteo Polisi earns the GNAC Freshman of the Year honor after leading the Clan with 10 goals. Polisi ranked third in the GNAC with 24 points and led the league with five game-winning goals.

Rounding out the special awards is Saint Martin’s forward Brandon Madsen, the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. Madsen, a sophomore transfer from Division I Seattle Univ., proved hard to keep off the scoresheet this year. Averaging 0.94 goals per game, the Saint Martin’s forward tallied a league-high 16 goals, which was good for seventh in Division II. He also led the GNAC with 33 points.

Joining the Polisis and Kristensen as Simon Fraser first-team selections are Jones and junior midfielder Mamadi Camara. Despite missing eight games due to injury, Jones managed to tally four goals and four assists. Tied for second in the league with two game-winning goals, Jones snagged winners against Cal Poly Pomona and Montana State Billings. Like Jones, Camara is selected for first-team honors for the third year in a row. Leading Simon Fraser with 49 shots, the junior totaled six goals and one assist in 16 starts.

Montana State Billings and Western Washington each had two players selected for First Team All-GNAC honors. Yellowjackets’ junior midfielder Guillaume Kremer improved on his 2016 honorable mention campaign, leading MSUB with nine goals and five assists. His 23 points ranked fourth in the GNAC. Sophomore defender Oliver Posarelli was second on the team in minutes and started all 18 matches.

The Vikings see senior forward Anthony Dean and senior goalkeeper Tyler Visten appear on the first team after both received Second Team All-GNAC honors a year ago. Dean ended his career with a team-high 11 goals in 2017, ranking second in the GNAC. Visten led the league with a .739 save percentage and was second in the GNAC with 68 saves and five shutouts. Vikings’ senior midfielder Luke Olney was selected Second Team All-GNAC, recording the fourth all-conference selection of his career.

Rounding out the first-team selections were Seattle Pacific senior defender Chaz Jenkins and Northwest Nazarene sophomore defender Linus Mansson. First Team All-GNAC in 2015, Jenkins led the Falcons in minutes, starting in all but one of his 17 appearances. His lone assist came in Seattle Pacific’s 5-3 win over Saint Martin’s on Oct. 12. Mansson, a First Team All-GNAC selection last year, continued his solid collegiate career with a goal and four assists this season. The sophomore played a big part in the Nighthawks’ four shutouts, as he was just one of two players to start all 17 games.

The NCAA West Regional Championships begin this Thursday, as No. 11 Simon Fraser travels to San Diego, Calif., to take on Cal Poly Pomona at 1 p.m. in the first round of the tournament. In their previous matchup on Sept. 10 at the Rimrock Classic hosted by Montana State Billings, the Clan came away with a 2-1 victory.

GNAC 2017 MEN'S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

* - Unanimous Selection
+ - First Team Selection In 2016
# - Second Team Selection In 2016
@ - Honorable Selection In 2016
$ - First Team Selection In 2015
! - Second Team Selection In 2015
& - Honorable Mention In 2015
^ - Second Team Selection In 2014
? - First Team Selection In 2013