Tuesday, November 15, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – A trio of first-team performers lead eight GNAC selections to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Men’s Soccer All-West Region Team.

 Western Washington freshman forward Albin Jonsson, Simon Fraser junior midfielder Mark Talisuna and Northwest Nazarene senior defender Lorenzo Valentini were all named First Team All-West Region after earning First Team All-GNAC honors.

The reigning GNAC Player of the Year, Talisuna makes his second appearance on the All-West Region Team after being named to the second team in 2021. He is one of six repeat selections.

 Talisuna was a key midfielder for the Red Leafs this season, logging over 1,500 minutes while starting every match for SFU. He finished the season with three goals, going a perfect three-for-three from the penalty spot.

Jonsson was named First Team All-West Region after leading the Vikings and the GNAC in scoring with nine goals and five assists. The conference Freshman of the Year started all 18 matches that he appeared in for the Vikings. His three game-winning goals rank 39th in Division II while his nine goals on the season rank 60th.

Valentini rounds out the first team selections as the Nighthawks continue their season in the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championsips. The senior defender has started all 20 matches this season and leads all NNU players with over 1,800 minutes on the pitch to go along with a goal and an assist.  Valentini has anchored the Nighthawks’ defense against high-caliber opponents such as Cal State LA who NNU limited to just one goal in the second round of the Division II Championships.

The three first-team selections are joined by three more Northwest Nazarene selections to the second team in senior forward Jake Levine, sophomore midfielder Ethan Atterberry and junior midfielder Lukas Juodkunaitis. Western Washington senior goalkeeper Patrick Restum and Seattle Pacific sophomore defender Demian Alvarez were also named to the second team.

Levine leads Northwest Nazarene with nine goals and three assists and became the all-time leader for program this season with 31 career goals and counting. Atterberry, a First Team All-GNAC selection, has been a strong player in the midfield all season, adding two goals and four assists. Juodkuniatis has been a star for the Nighthawks in the postseason with two goals and an assist in three matches to bring his season totals to seven goals and four assists.

Restum earned First Team All-GNAC honors as well after recording eight shutouts to go along with a .786 save percentage across 16 starts.  A fellow First Team All-GNAC selection, Alvarez was a key defender for Seattle Pacific, logging nearly 1,400 minutes and punching through for four goals from the back line.

The D2CAA Men’s Soccer All-West Region team was nominated by and voted upon by the region’s athletics communications professionals. The three first-team selections move on to consideration for the D2CCA Men’s Soccer All-America Team, which will be announced on November 30.