Men's Soccer

Arias From Southwestern Christian Garners SAC Player of Year

Arias splits league offensive player of year with Albuquerque of Mid-America Christian

OKLAHOMA CITY – Southwestern Christian’s Victor Arias boasted of both the Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year and offensive player of the year as part of the men’s soccer all-conference team as chosen by SAC coaches.

SAC regular-season champion and conference tournament top seed Southwestern Christian also took the SAC freshman of the year (Jackson Kim) and league coach of the year (Adam Kay).

Mid-America Christian snared SAC co-offensive player of the year (Rodrigo Albuquerque) and defensive player of the year (Dejue Johnson), while Oklahoma City University landed the conference newcomer of the year (Lucas de Freitas) and goalkeeper of the year (Danilo Vilani).

Arias propelled Southwestern Christian with 13 goals, six assists and 32 points. Arias, a senior from Barinas, Venezuela, produced a hat trick plus an assist vs. Texas Wesleyan on March 2. He ranks seventh with four winning goals and 15th in points in the NAIA this season. The SAC bestowed SAC offensive player of the week upon him twice this season.

Albuquerque paced the SAC with 15 goals, seven assists, 37 points and nine winning goals in 2020-21. He collected two conference offensive player of the week nods this season. Albuquerque, a junior from Recife, Brazil, tallied a season-high two goals and two assists vs. Manhattan Christian (Kan.) on Oct. 17 among four two-goal outings this season.

Johnson spearheaded Mid-America Christian to eight shutouts, including five consecutive clean sheets from Nov. 6 to March 2. Johnson, a senior from Lindstead, Jamaica, became SAC defensive player of the week for Nov. 9-15.

De Freitas leads the SAC in average goals (1.27 a contest) and points (2.64 per match). De Freitas, a junior from São Paulo, Brazil, totaled 14 goals, an assist and 29 points over the 2020-21 regular season. He equaled the Oklahoma City single-game record with five goals against Bacone on March 14.

Kim led a Southwestern Christian defense that produced seven shutouts, including five in conference play and three in a row from March 2-10. Kim, a freshman from Norman, Okla., contributed two assists and the only goal in the Eagles’ 1-0 win at Mid-America Christian on March 23 on the season. Kim secured SAC defensive player of the week for March 22-28.

Vilani has directed the Stars to five clean sheets while turning in 38 saves and a 1.27 goals-against average. Vilani, a junior from Goiânia, Brazil, stabbed a season-high seven saves against Science & Arts of Oklahoma on March 27.

Kay guided Southwestern Christian not only to its first SAC men’s soccer regular-season championship, but also the first SAC title won by any Southwestern Christian team. The Eagles (11-1-3, 7-1-1 SAC) rate in the top 10 among the NAIA with eight shutouts (third) and 49 goals scored (eighth) in 2020-21. Kay assumed the head-coaching role this season after serving as an assistant in 2019 and playing from 2010-14 for Southwestern Christian.
 
2020-21 All-Sooner Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer
Player of the Year: Victor Arias, Southwestern Christian
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Rodrigo Albuquerque, Mid-America Christian
Victor Arias, Southwestern Christian
Defensive Player of the Year: Dejue Johnson, Mid-America Christian
Newcomer of the Year: Lucas de Freitas, Oklahoma City
Freshman of the Year: Jackson Kim, Southwestern Christian
Goalkeeper of the Year: Danilo Vilani, Oklahoma City
Coach of the Year: Adam Kay, Southwestern Christian
FIRST TEAM
F Jacob Zamarron John Brown So. Rogers, Ark.
F Victor Arias Southwestern Christian Sr. Barinas, Venezuela
F Rodrigo Albuquerque Mid-America Christian Jr. Recife, Brazil
F Lucas de Freitas Oklahoma City Jr. São Paulo, Brazil
MF Oscar Carballo John Brown So. San José, Costa Rica
MF Tom Hausdoerfer Southwestern Christian So. Erfurt, Germany
MF Marco Magnoli Wayland Baptist Jr. Buenos Aires, Argentina
MF Angelo Leenderste USAO So. Dordrecht, Netherlands
D Dejue Johnson Mid-America Christian Sr. Linstead, Jamaica
D Butch Hampton USAO Sr. Piedmont, Okla.
D Jackson Kim Southwestern Christian Fr. Norman, Okla.
D Oliver Pardoe Southwestern Christian So. Northampton, England
GK Danilo Vilani Oklahoma City Jr. Goiânia, Brazil
GK Hugo Dutour Panhandle State Fr. Varades, France
SECOND TEAM
F Mason Gonzalez Mid-America Christian Jr. Fresno, Calif.
F Teejay Chiororo Southwestern Christian Fr. Essex, England
F Drew Schrader Central Christian Fr. McPherson, Kan.
F Mateja Jovanovic Texas Wesleyan Fr. Belgrade, Serbia
MF Luan Cesar Mid-America Christian Jr. Rio de Janeiro
MF Carlos Castrejon Mid-America Christian Sr. Gainesville, Ga.
MF Guilherme Grave Oklahoma City Sr. São Paulo, Brazil
MF Tommaso Belli Oklahoma City Fr. Rome
MF Ethan Bonaparte Southwestern Christian So. Trinidad & Tobago
D Stefano Pesce Wayland Baptist Sr. Italy
D Harvey Paul Oklahoma City Jr. Bristol, England
D Endri Copa Mid-America Christian Sr. Piobbico, Italy
D Tayze Ellington Panhandle State Sr. Kingston, Jamaica
GK Jens Keemers John Brown Sr. Overijssel, Netherlands
GK Sebastian Herrera Central Christian Jr. Quito, Ecuador