SMU dominated Western Athletic Conference men's soccer postseason honors, the conference office announced today.
Sophomore forward Mishu Fahim earned WAC Player of the Year honors after recording a conference-best 18 goals and 40 points. SMU has owned the award, with a Mustang player claiming the honor in each of the four years of WAC competition. Daniel Hernandez was named WAC Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997, and Tony Soto earned the honor last year.
Freshman Diego Walsh shared WAC Freshman of the Year honors after finishing tied for third in the WAC with six assists. San Jose State's Isaias Bardales also was named Co-Freshman of the Year. It was the second straight year that a Mustang took home the honor. Last season Luchi Gonzalez earned the distinction.
SMU Head Coach Schellas Hyndman earned WAC Coach of the Year honors for the third straight season after guiding the young Mustang squad to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. SMU's 16-4 record included a 9-1 mark in conference play. In his tenure at SMU, Hyndman has posted a record of 237-66-22 (.763) and is among the all-time winningest coaches in the nation. This year's trip to the NCAA Tournament was the Mustangs' 16th appearance in the last 17 years.
SMU led all schools with six All-WAC honorees, including four on the first team. Fresno State named three players to the first team and two to the second team. San Jose State had two first-team honorees and two second-team players, while TCU placed one player on the first team and three on the second team. Tulsa had one first-team selection and one second-team selection and Drury place one player on the second team.
Joining Fahim on the first team were teammates Walsh (Fr., MF), Carl Bussey (So., MF), and Byron Foss (So., GK). Mustangs Ryan Kenyon (Fr., D) and Matt Whiteley (Jr., MF) were named to the second team.
Bussey earned first team All-WAC honors for the second straight year after scoring 12 goals and 31 points, both second in the WAC behind Fahim. His seven assists tied for the conference lead.
Foss led the WAC with a 0.60 goals-against average and 10.3 shutouts. Whiteley scored four goals and tied for third in the WAC with six assists. Kenyon was the anchor of the SMU defense, which ranked fourth nationally with a 0.58 goals-against average.
The six players on the All-WAC team and four on the first team equals SMU's previous bests.
A complete listing of the WAC All-Conference team follows.
Player of the Year: Mohamed Fahim, So., F, SMU
Freshman of the Year: Diego Walsh, MF, SMU
Isaias Bardales, F, San Jose State
Coach of the Year: Schellas Hyndman, SMU
First Team:
Mohamed Fahim, SMU F So. Cairo, Egypt/Yousef El-Sebaay
Isaias Bardales, San Jose State F Fr. San Jose, Calif./Leland
Carl Bussey, SMU MF So. Plano, Texas/Plano East
Diego Walsh, SMU MF Fr. Miami, Fla./Killian
Noah Delgado, Fresno State MF So. Fremont, Calif./Irvington
Hugo Alcaraz, Fresno State MF Sr. Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara CC
Nick Baker, TCU MF So. Arlington, Texas/Sam Houston
Eric Dominguez, Tulsa MF Jr. Richmond, Texas/Lamar Consolidated
Adam Maurer, Fresno State D Jr. Spring Valley, Calif./Monte Vista
Ryan Suarez, San Jose State D Sr. Roseville, Calif./Oakmont
Byron Foss, SMU GK So. Monarch Beach, Calif./Santa Margarita
Second Team:
Aman Kebreab, San Jose State F Jr. San Jose, Calif./Del Mar
Ryan Ferguson, Drury F Sr. Long Beach, Calif./Artesia
Kupono Low, Fresno State F Fr. Fremont, Calif./Irvington
Lars Lyssand, San Jose State MF So. Redwood City, Calif./Woodside
Matt Whiteley, SMU MF Jr. Richardson, Texas/J.J. Pearce
Josh Rife, TCU MF So. Denton, Texas/Denton
Gabe Provenza, Fresno State MF So. Seattle, Wash./Franklin
Doak VanEnk, TCU MF So. Denton, Texas/Denton
Ryan Kenyon, SMU D So. Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro
Derek Meyers, Tulsa D Fr. Chesterfield, Mo./Christian Brothers
Ian Keate, TCU GK Jr. Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy
