2014 Big West Men's Soccer All-Conference Team



The North Division monopolized the major awards as the announcement of the 2014 Big West Men’s Soccer All-Conference team took place today.  The trio from North Division champion UC Santa Barbara took home three of the awards with Nick DePuy getting the Offensive Player of the Year nod, Kevin
 Garcia-Lopez earning Defensive Player of the Year and Axel
 Mendez Freshman of the Year.  Cal Poly teammates Chase Minter and Wade Hamilton were tabbed Midfielder of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively, while Sacramento State’s Michael Linenberger garnered Coach of the Year honors.
   
Nick DePuy became the sixth UC Santa Barbara representative to earn the top offensive player award as he terrorized opponents to the tune of nine goals in 12 appearances since transitioning up top from the midfield.  After providing the game-winning goal in his debut at forward against San Diego State, DePuy scored eight more times during Big West play, including five goals of the game-winning variety.  In fact, the Irvine, Calif. native has scored UCSB’s last six goals while recording the game-winning or game-tying goal in four straight.  DePuy’s six game-winning goals rank No. 1 in the Big West and he is second with 10 total goals.  The first Gaucho to score double-digit goals since Luis Silva had 17 in 2011, DePuy also ranks second in the Big West in points (21) and shots (59).  The sophomore’s overtime goal in the 94th minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 victory at Sacramento State helped the Gauchos secure a 14th straight season of 10 or more wins.  
   
The fourth Gaucho in the last six years to be named the conference’s top defensive player, Kevin Garcia-Lopez (Torrance, Calif./North HS) spearheaded one of the top defensive units during Big West play.  He helped anchor a defense which allowed opponents to score just nine goals through 10 conference games, tying the team for the second-lowest goals against average (0.84).  The senior also played a key role in a pair of crucial shutouts against UC Davis and Cal Poly, in which the two opponents were held to a combined three shots on goal.   Starting 15 of the 16 matches he appeared in, Garcia-Lopez also amassed one goal and one assist for three points.
   
Axel Mendez (Los Angeles, Calif./Cathedral HS) continues a long line of outstanding players to enter the UC Santa Barbara program, becoming the third straight and fifth in the last six years to receive Freshman of the Year acclaim.  The forward tied for third on the squad with nine points on three goals and three assists.  Mendez also ranked second on the squad – and ninth in the conference – in shots taken (44).  He directly contributed to three victories with game-winning goals against Colgate (Sept. 12) and Sacramento State (Oct. 22), along with the game-winning assist in the Big West opener versus CSUN (Oct. 2).
   
Becoming the program’s first Midfielder of the Year, Cal Poly’s Chase Minter (Heath, Texas/Rockwall-Heath HS) led his squad in goals (7), assists (5) and points (19).  On the Big West leaderboard, he tied for third in goals, tied for first in assists, and was third in points.  The junior recorded his first career brace in a 3-1 win at North Carolina State (Aug. 31) and posted another two goals later on in the season against Cal State Fullerton.  Minter’s 53 shots also ranked fifth overall in the Big West.
   
Wade Hamilton is Cal Poly’s second individual to claim the distinction as the conference’s top netminder, joining Eric Branagan-Franco in 2008.  The native of Murrieta, Calif. topped the Big West with 96 saves, the third-best single-season total in Mustang history  Starting all 19 matches in helping Cal Poly to an 8-7-4 overal record, Hamilton stopped five or more shots on 12 occasions, including  a season-high tying nine saves against North Carolina State, UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara.  Hamilton posted a 1.20 goals against average while playing all 1,806 minutes in goal, and he ranked fourth among Big West backstops with an .800 save percentage.
   
In Sacramento State’s third season as a Big West associate member in men’s soccer, Michael Linenberger earned his first conference Coach of the Year award.  He led the Hornets to a three-win improvement in the conference win column after they had finished last in the North Division in 2013.  At 4-5-1 for third place in the North, the Hornets are headed for their first Big West Tournament appearance when they take on UC Irvine this Saturday.  They used two key late season wins against Cal Poly and UC Davis – and a tie against the Aggies – to reach the postseason.  Linenberger also has guided Sacramento State to a +3 improvement in overall wins.
   
Four players earned repeat selections to the all-conference first team – CSUN teammates Sagi
Lev-Ari and Trevor
Morley, Cal Poly junior Matt
LaGrassa and UC Santa Barbara sophomore Ismaila
Jome.  Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara led the way with three first-team selections apiece, while CSUN, UC Irvine and UC Riverside all had multiple representatives as well.  Five seniors, five juniors, and three sophomores comprised the first team.   
   
The complete 2014 All-Big West Men’s Soccer Team can be viewed by clicking the PDF link above: