Misael Gonzalez Lopez Earns 'Eaters Another Big West Award

UC Irvine earned a Big West weekly award for the second time in the first two weeks of the season as Misael Gonzalez Lopez snatched Big West Offensive Player of the Week. He follows Isaac Powell's honor for the same award in the opening week of the season.

Gonzalez Lopez claimed the Big West lead in goals and points following a week where he scored three goals in two matches. The second-year Anteater came on to start the second half of Thursday's match vs. Cal State LA and put home two goals in the first 20 minutes of action. Gonzalez Lopez added a third goal in Sunday's 3-0 win over North Florida putting away a penalty kick early in the second half.

For the senior forward, its his first weekly award after he was named All-Big West Honorable Mention to cap off his 2024 season.

Isaac Powell was the hero in Thursday's 2-0 win over UCLA scoring the game-winning goal in the 63rd minute. It was enough to earn him Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors, the first Big West award of any kind in his career.

Powell's added to his career total now with four goals as an Anteater, three of the them going down as game-winners. 

The 'Eaters took home three player of the week honors in 2024, one each of offensive, defensive, and freshman.

Senior Agaton Pourshahidi and junior Brady Treinen are representing the Anteaters on the Preseason All-Big West Team announced today as voted on by the Big West Coaches.

Pourshahidi returns to the mix as the team's top scorer with seven last season toward his 11 goals in his career and 25 points. He was an All-Big West First-Teamer for the first time in his career and has been named a CSC Academic All-District twice. He netted the program's first hat trick in 14 years last season.

Treinen has stayed consistent through his first two seasons as an Anteater defender earning All-Big West Second Team honors last year after Big West All-Freshman accolades the prior year. He's played in every match since joining the program and started all but two contributing to 13 clean sheets while also scoring a goal and assisting on eight including five last season to tie for the team high.

The announcements Thursday also included the projected Big West standings for 2025. The ‘Eaters were projected to finish fourth, the sixth straight preseason poll pitting the 'Eaters in the top four. The three programs ahead of UCI in the projections garnered all the first-place votes. Reigning championship winner UC Davis had the most with four and projected to finish third. Reigning regular season champion Cal Poly is projected second with three first-place votes. The projected champion UC Santa Barbara also earned three first-place votes and was an NCAA Tournament participant a year ago without winning a Big West title.

2025 Men's Soccer Awards

Big West Offensive Player of the Week
Isaac Powell - RS-Jr., MID - August 25
Misael Gonzalez Lopez - Sr., FWD - September 1

Preseason All-Big West - projected to finish 4th
Agaton Pourshahidi - Sr., FWD
Brady Treinen - Jr., DEF 

Sixth-year Anteater Mario Anaya claimed the highest academic honor for men's soccer as he was honored on the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Team.

Anaya was a key part of the midfielder and defense for the Anteaters who finished third in the Big West, reached the championship semifinals, and included a result against eventual National Champion Vermont this season. He also made the grade maintaining a 3.62 GPA in his Project Management grad program

Anaya was the only member of the 2024 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region team last week and represents the Western U.S. on the 14-person Scholar All-America Team and 1 of just 7 named to the First Team.

Anaya is the sixth Anteater to earn the honor with three coming since Yossi Raz took over as coach in 2017.

UCI had earned a pair of Academic All-District winners in each of the past two seasons including Anaya in 2023.

United Soccer Coaches and the NCAA revealed the all-region teams on Tuesday with two Anteaters making the cut in the Far West Region.

Mario Anaya made the grade on the First Team as a fifth-year midfielder. He started all 19 matches he played providing two assists amongst his sturdy defensive work. He finishes his Anteater career with three goals, one game-winner, and seven assists in 77 matches played. He's just the second first-teamer under head coach Yossi Raz's tenure joining Ivan Canales in 2018

Mathias Winum makes the cut for a second time earning Second Team honors after a Third Team finish in 2023. He was another defensive stalwart with Anaya on the backline helping to five clean sheets on the season and playing all but 20 of the 1,710 Anteater minutes. His Anteater career concludes with 77 matches as well, 70 starts, over 6,000 minutes, and one assist on the offensive end.

The ‘Eaters now have five All-Far West Region recipients over the past two seasons with 10 total in coach Raz’s seven years with the program.

College Sports Communicators unveiled their Academic All-District teams Tuesday morning with two Anteaters making the cut in 2024.

The CSC adjusted its criteria last season to be considered for the honor now with any player of sophomore status or higher both academically and athletically with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher that has played in 90% of their team's matches or started 66% of them will earn the distinction. In the past, Anteaters had been named Scholar All-Region, All-District or All-American a total of 17 times.

Like in 2023, UC Irvine had two ‘Eaters recognized with one returning in 2024. Agaton Pourshahidi finished as the team’s leading scorer with seven goals and 16 points, and makes the grade for a second straight season. Joining him this year is first-time honoree Roman Warren who put up a game-winning goal and an assist, and like Pourshahidi played in all 19 of the team's matches.

All-American voting begins soon with awards handed out later in the month.

All-Big West awards were handed out Wednesday and six Anteaters got the call.

One 'Eater represented on each team with the most represented being the First Team with three players. The three first-teamers are the most under head coach Yossi Raz and most for the program since 2011.

Coach Raz has now seen 44 award winners in his seven seasons with the program; at least five in each season and six or more now in six seasons.

The First Team trio included a forward, midfielder, and defender as UCI joined Cal State Bakersfield and Cal Poly as the only programs with three honorees

The most decorated is defender Mathias Winum. This is Winum's fourth award after picking up Second Team and All-Freshman back in 2021, and his second First Team accolade after being named to the team in 2023. Winum was key on the back line contributing to the team's four clean sheets and allowing the least shots on goal in the conference as the team's leader in minutes played with 1,510

Mario Anaya gets the call for a second time and first on the First Team after Second Team recognition at year ago. He was one of a handful of Anteaters to play over 1,000 minutes and played a key role as a holding midfielder while also assisting on two goals

Agaton Pourshahidi earned his first First Team honor after being named All-Freshman in 2022. Pourshahidi knocked in seven goals in 2024 with two assists, and saved two goals and an assist for Big West action.

Second Team's lone representative was Brady Treinen who was an All-Freshman Team honoree a year ago. His 1,463 minutes ranked second on the team, and he saved three of his four assists and points on the season for conference play as a wing back

Honorable Mention revealed a newcomer in junior transfer Misael Gonzalez. He came alive in Big West action scoring in three consecutive matches including a game-winner. He made seven of his nine starts on the year in Big West matches as he finished the 2024 regular season with four goals and an assist in 15 matches played

All-Freshman Team included one Anteater in Marcus Lee. The freshman attacker keeps the string of 'Eater representatives in every year under coach Raz and each team since 2016. UCI had put two honorees on the squad in each of the last three seasons. Lee made the grade with two goals this season and one coming in Big West action as a game-winner and played just under 1,000 minutes on the season starting 10 of the 16 matches he played

The improbable run of Paul Jing has landed him a Big West Defensive Player of the Week honor after two shutout victories for the 'Eaters last week.

Jing, who joined the team in September as a student on the intramural squad, has been thrust into duty with a rash of Anteater keeper injuries, and has been spotless in four starts. He's made all 17 saves, shutout opponents for 328 minutes, and is now 3-0-0 with three shutouts after wins over Cal State Bakersfield and CSUN last week by scores of 1-0. Wednesday's win over first-place CSUB also included a career high of eight saves in the match.

It's the first award for Jing in his career, and he joins Agaton Pourshahidi's Offensive honor and Marcus Lee's Freshman honor as the three UCI award winners so far in 2024. The defensive award is the first for the program since Gordon Botterill picked up three during the 2021 season.

The second award of the season for the Anteaters was Big West Offensive Player of the Week for Agaton Pourshahidi

This specific award is the first of Pourshahidi's career to go with a pair of Freshman of the Week honors in 2022. He joins Marcus Lee for 2024 awards after he took home Big West Freshman of the Week.

Pourshahidi ended a long drought of 14 years since the last hat trick for UC Irvine. He scored in the 16th, 32nd, and 80th minutes in Saturday's 4-2 victory against Utah Tech in Anteater Stadium. He tops the team with five goals and 11 points in 2024, and is the active career leader for UCI with nine goals.

The first award of the 2024 season was the first award for freshman Marcus Lee named Big West Freshman of the Week.

Lee claimed his first collegiate goal and point helping the 'Eaters draw even in a 1-1 tie with Vermont. Lee finished with five shots and three on target, both team highs for the week helping UCI to a draw and a win over Mercyhurst.

This is the seventh time an 'Eater has claimed the award since it was introduced in 2021 with at least one honor in each season now was has been won by current Anteaters Agaton Pourshahidi, Brady Treinen, and Nolan DiCenzo.

Preseason polls and teams are out from the Big West with the Anteaters prominently showcased.

After finishing second in the Big West in 2023, winning the Big West Championship, and reaching the NCAA Tournament, sights are set on UC Irvine to take first in the Big West regular season in 2024 according to the Preseason Big West Coaches' Poll. UCI earned 75 votes to top the conference including four of the 10 first-place votes. Close behind were Cal State Fullerton with 66 votes and three first-place and UC Santa Barbara at 65 votes and also three first-place. The poll rounded out with UC Davis fourth, Cal Poly fifth, CSUN sixth, UC Riverside seventh, UC San Diego eighth, and a tie for ninth from Cal State Bakersfield and Sacramento State. The top six teams earn a berth in the Big West Championship.

Along with that news was the trio of senior Anteaters named to the Preseason All-Big West Coaches' Team. Francesco Montanile appears for a second straight season after starting every match a season ago, scoring once, and leading the team with four assists. Alongside him was the other Anteater to start all 20 matches in Luke Pruter. The keeper won nine matches, registered eight shutouts, and stopped 51 shots while earning the title of All-Far West Region Second Team and was a Player to Watch among goalkeepers by United Soccer Coaches this preseason. The trio was completed by captain and defender Mathias Winum. He was also an All-Far West Region member in 2023 on the Third Team as he spearheaded UCI's stout defense and contributed an assist for his first career point as well. The preseason team was also loaded with trios from UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton and capped by forwards from UC Davis and CSUN for the 11-man squad

2024 Men's Soccer Awards

United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Scholar All-American
First Team
Mario Anaya

United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Scholar All-West Region
Mario Anaya

United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I All-Far West Region
First Team
Mario Anaya
SecondTeam
Mathias Winum

College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Agaton Pourshahidi
Roman Warren

All-Big West
First Team
Mario Anaya
Agaton Pourshahidi
Mathias Winum

Second Team
Brady Treinen

Honorable Mention
Misael Gonzalez

All-Freshman Team
Marcus Lee

Big West Offensive Player of the Week
Agaton Pourshahidi - Jr., FWD - Sep. 23

Big West Defensive Player of the Week
Paul Jing - Sr., GK - Oct. 21

Big West Freshman of the Week
Marcus Lee - Fr., FWD - Sep. 2

Preseason All-Big West - projected to finish 1st
Luke Pruter - Sr., GK
Mathias Winum - Sr., DEF
Francesco Montanile - Sr., MID

United Soccer Coaches Preseason Players to Watch
Luke Pruter - Sr., GK
 

United Soccer Coaches announced their All-Region teams Tuesday with three Anteaters making the grade.

Luke Pruter was named the goalkeeper of the Second Team after one of the best statistical seasons in the Big West and the west coast led by eight shutouts from a nine-win season. Pruter's goals-against-average was sub-1.00 heading into the NCAA Tournament finishing at 1.04 on the year while he saved 51 shots and posted a .708 save percentage as one of the best teams nationally in least amount of shots on target allowed.

Two fellow defensive-minded Anteaters joined him in the accolades with Third Team love to Mathias Winum and Oscar Cervantes. Winum was a big part of the backline and those nine wins and eight shutouts. His 1,699 minutes were highest among field players on UC Irvine, and he added his first career point on an assist that helped toward a win over No. 13 Cal State Fullerton. Cervantes returned to form in his fifth year with offensive exploits in addition to his defensive talents. He scored a pair of golazos this year including one game-winner in conference play. He added two assists to help him toward All-Big West honors and Big West Tournament MVP distinction.

The 'Eaters had been shutout of the regional honors since 2019, and now have eight under head coach Yossi Raz and 27 as a program.

College Sports Communicators unveiled their Academic All-District teams Tuesday morning with two Anteaters making the cut in 2023.

The CSC has adjusted its criteria to be considered for the honor now with any player of sophomore status or higher both academically and athletically with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher that has played in 90% of their team's matches or started 66% of them will earn the distinction. In the past, Anteaters have been named Scholar All-Region, All-District or All-American a total of 17 times.

The two Anteaters recognized in the 2023 season are Mario Anaya and Agaton Pourshahidi, the first honor for each student-athlete. All-American voting begins soon with awards handed out later in the month.

UC Irvine men's soccer finished the regular season second in the Big West and earned honors for seven different Anteaters in today's All-Big West awards

Mathias Winum is the unheralded center back who continues to get some shine with All-Big West First Team love adding to his Second Team honor last year and All-Freshman Team accolade in 2021. His dynamic play on the backline ensured four shutouts in Big West action and seven on the season overall, and he added one point via a massive assist to help UCI beat No. 13 Cal State Fullerton

Ricardo Ibarra has been steady through his five years and makes All-Big West for the third time and first as a First-Teamer. Just like Winum, he's been a huge part of the backline's defensive success, and got his first offense since his freshman season at the best time scoring a brace in the regular season finale including his first career game-winning goal to vault the Anteaters into second place in the conference.

Luke Pruter scored his first career honor as Second Team All-Big West. The junior finished second in the Big West in goals-against-average and save percentage in Big West action while topping the crop of keepers with four shutouts

Mario Anaya also claimed his first career honor landing on the Second Team. The lockdown defensive midfielder helped UCI to the lowest goals allowed total in Big West play and opened his scoring account with a game-winning goal against Cal Poly

Oscar Cervantes hears his name called for the first time since his All-Freshman Team nod. The fifth-year defensive midfielder was huge on the defensive side, but brought his boots as well with two spectacular goals, one for a game-winner, and providing two assists as well

Brady Treinen burst onto the scene in his first year as a star on the offensive and defensive ends to secure All-Freshman Team honors. He assisted on three goals this season and had a huge goal for the first of his career to help beat No. 13 Cal State Fullerton

Mauricio Gutierrez bided his time with UCLA before getting a chance to play at UCI. He scored once in non-conference play and was an impact forward in Big West action to make All-Freshman Team

The third weekly award of 2023 was issued to Francesco Montanile after his two-assist contribution to UCI's win to pick up Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors

The junior added assists on both of Ricardo Ibarra's goals including the eventual game-winner in the 52nd minute. The forward now leads the club with four assists this year and six points putting him second.

He joins Brady Treinen and Mauricio Gutierrez who each have Big West Freshman of the Week accolades this year. For Montanile, its just his first weekly honor of his career to go with All-Big West Second Team, All-Freshman Team, and Big West Freshman of the Year he collected back in 2021.

The Big West's top freshman of the week was Anteater defender Brady Treinen.

The first-year Anteater began the week with an assist on the team's lone goal Wednesday leading toward a 1-0 victory over UC Riverside. The match finishing in a shutout, and the momentum carried into Saturday with another shutout in a 0-0 draw against UC Santa Barbara. Treinen and the backline allowed a total of 15 shots over the two matches with just six on target.

The Tustin-native now leads the team in assists with three while picking up his first collegiate award. He joins Mauricio Gutierrez as 'Eaters as award winners this season, both as freshman of the week, and six now since the award began in 2021.

Mauricio Gutierrez had a big week culminating in Big West Freshman of the Week honors.

The first-year Anteater made his collegiate debut Thursday on the road at Omaha in the starting XI. His second match Sunday night he made his home debut coming off the bench, and 10 minutes into his shift he guided home a pass from Francesco Montanile into the back of the net giving UCI the 2-0 lead at the time.

The Lawndale-native recorded his first career goal and point on the play, and it eventually went down as the game-winning goal. It's the first honor for Gutierrez and fifth for the program after claiming the honor three times in 2022 and once in 2021.

The Anteaters represented on the Preseason All-Big West team with a Francesco Montanile and Eddy Berumen.

Both ‘Eaters are on the preseason team for a second time with Montanile appearing on the 2022 team and Berumen on it in 2021. UCI has placed a player on each and every preseason team dating back to the first one in 2012, and it’s the fifth straight year with multiple selections. Montanile and Berumen make it four and five Anteaters to earn multiple nods joining Cameron Iwasa, Michael Sperber, and Ivan Canales.

Berumen enters his fifth season at UC Irvine as wing back. The Salida-native has 43 matches under his belt with five assists and nearly 3,000 minutes. He's back to full strength after missing parts of the last two seasons recovering from injuries and missing the entire 2020 season due to the cancelation of the 2020 season from COVID, but has Big West All-Freshman team honors to his name.

Montanile was also a Big West All-Freshman teamer and is coming off All-Big West Second Team honors. He's put home multiple goals and assists and a game-winner in each of his first two seasons.

In addition to the team, the preseason poll was unveiled with UC Irvine picked to finish fourth and received one of the 11 first-place votes from the Big West coaches. UCI has been projected to finish in the top four in each of the last four preseason polls and four of the five since becoming one division.

2023 Men's Soccer Awards

College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Mario Anaya
Agaton Pourshahidi

United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region
Luke Pruter - Second Team, Jr. GK
Mathias Winum - Third Team, Jr. DEF
Oscar Cervantes - Third Team, RS-Sr. MID

All-Big West
Ricardo Ibarra - First Team, RS-Sr. DEF
Mathias Winum - First Team, Jr. DEF
Luke Pruter - Second Team, Jr. GK
Mario Anaya - Second Team, RS-Sr. MID
Oscar Cervantes - Second Team, RS-Sr. MID
Brady Treinen - All-Freshman Team, Fr. DEF
Mauricio Gutierrez - All-Freshman Team, RS-Fr. FWD

Big West Offensive Player of the Week
Francesco Montanile - Jr., FWD - Oct. 30

Big West Freshman of the Week
Mauricio Gutierrez - RS-Fr., MID - Sept. 4
Brady Treinen - Fr., DEF - Oct. 2

Preseason All-Big West - projected to finish 4th
Eddy Berumen - RS-Sr., DEF
Francesco Montanile - Jr., MID

The Anteaters surged in Big West play to a 5-3-1 record and a tie for second place with their reward five players named to the 2022 All-Big West squad.

Ashish Chattha headlined the crew with his second straight First Team accolade. The third-year Anteater had three goals to tie for the team lead including a game-winner over Sac State. His seven points come in second as one of the team leaders turned it on down the stretch

On the Second Team were a pair of dynamic Anteaters with first-year Robert Mejia and third-year Ricardo Ibarra

Mejia joined the 'Eaters as a grad transfer after four-plus years at UC Davis where he was All-Freshman and Big West Midfielder of the Year a year ago. His eight points leads all Anteaters along with three goals to share for the lead. He knocked home a game-winner as part of a brace in a win at CSUN.

Ibarra elevates his standing after Honorable Mention last season. He put up three assists while also solidifying the back line and the wing as UCI's active leader in matches played and starts

Anteater freshmen yet again shone with a third straight season placing multiple players on the All-Freshman squad. Agaton Pourshahidi and Diego Otoya make seven 'Eaters in the past three years and 12 since the team was formed back in 2013

Pourshahidi broke out in non-conference play with his first career goal at Vermont earning him Big West Freshman of the Week. He earned a second in the conference opener after nailing down a brace to complete a comeback victory over Cal State Fullerton as he shared the crowded place atop the team with three goals on the year

Otoya slowly broke into the starting XI and maintained his standing. He only registered one goal and one assist, but made his presence felt up top and matched Pourshahidi as freshman leaders in minutes with 851

The first-year defender has stepped into a huge role midway through the season punctuated by a draw and win in the final week to secure the No. 3 seed in the Big West for UCI.

Nolan DiCenzo knocked in his first career goal Saturday redirecting a rebound off a corner in the 35th minute to help UCI to the 1-0 victory at UC San Diego. The clean sheet was also a badge of honor as the second of the season for the 'Eaters with DiCenzo along the backline

DiCenzo joins Agaton Pourshahidi on weekly honors this year as the third for the team after Pourshahidi won it twice already;

He's back!! A second freshman of the week honor for Agaton Pourshahidi after a 1-1 week to start Big West play. Pourshahidi brought the Anteaters back Wednesday night with two goals in the final 18 minutes for his first career brace and UCI's first win of the season, 3-2, over Cal State Fullerton.

Pourshahidi takes over the team lead with three goals and six points and added his first career game-winning goal.

UC Irvine's first award of 2022 was claimed by Agaton Pourshahidi bringing home his first hardware with Big West Freshman of the Week honors. The freshman collected his first career goal and point equalizing Sunday at Vermont in the 10th minute.

Pourshahidi joined the program this season from Stockholm, Sweden and has played in all eight matches this season with six starts in the lineup.

Big West Preseason Coaches Poll was announced Friday with the Anteaters well represented. After finishing 2021 with a share of the Big West regular season title, they earned that status again tying for first in the projected 2022 standings alongside UC Santa Barbara.

The Preseason All-Big West Team was also named with three Anteaters in the mix. Newcomer and 2021 Big West Midfielder of the Year Robert Mejia was prominent and joined by two fellow midfielders, All-Big West First Team Midfielders from a year ago Ashish Chattha and 2021 Big West Freshman of the Year Francesco Montanile.

2022 Men's Soccer Awards

All-Big West
First Team
Ashish Chattha - Sr., MID

Second Team
Robert Mejia - Sr., MID
Ricardo Ibarra - Jr., DEF

All-Freshman Team
Diego Otoya - Fr., FWD
Agaton Pourshahidi - Fr., FWS

Big West Freshman of the Week
Nolan DiCenzo - Fr., DEF - Oct. 31
Agaton Pourshahidi - Fr., FWD - Oct. 3
Agaton Pourshahidi - Fr., FWD - Sep. 19

Preseason All-Big West
Ashish Chattha - Sr., MID
Robert Mejia - Sr., MID
Francesco Montanile - So., MID

2021 All-Big West Men's Soccer Team

UC Irvine men's soccer took home three of the six major awards, while also placing seven members on the All-Big West Teams the conference office announced Friday afternoon.

Gordon Botterill (Goalkeeper), Francesco Montanile (Freshman), and Yossi Raz (Coach) headlined the Player and Coach of the Year awards list. Botterill was named to the All-Big West First Team along side junior midfielder Ashish Chattha. Montanile landed on the Second Team with fellow freshman Mathias Winum. Honorable Mention featured veterans Beto Alvarenga and Ricardo Ibarra. Montanile and Winum were also named to the All-Freshman Team.

Gordon Botterill was named the Big West Goalkeeper of the Year after leading the league with a .847 save percentage and 0.71 goals-against-average. He also ranks fourth and ninth in those categories nationally, respectively. Botterill was responsible for five shutouts while he and freshman Luke Pruter led all programs with seven overall shutouts and 90 saves. Botterill stopped 10 shots in his Anteater debut, a loss at No. 5 Georgetown. He earned three Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors, and is now the third Anteater to win the Goalkeeper of the Year honor; first since Andrew Fontein in 2011.

Francesco Montanile was named the Big West Freshman of the Year leading a large crop of freshmen Anteaters and newcomers to the Big West. He posted all six of his points in Big West play starting with an assist in the opener against UC Riverside. He's scored the game-winner in the win at CSU Bakersfield and added a goal in Saturday's semifinal win vs. UC Riverside. He's appeared in all 19 matches this season starting 14 of them with over 1,000 minutes logged. He joins keeper Andrew Fontein in 2008 as the only Anteaters to earn Big West Freshman of the Year accolades.

Head Coach Yossi Raz was selected as the Big West Coach of the Year, his second honor in his four seasons with the Anteaters. He led the team to a share of the Big West title, the second of his tenure, leading the 'Eaters from a 2-6-1 non-conference slate to the Big West Final with help from their current eight-match unbeaten streak. This marks the fifth Anteater coach to earn the Big West honor, eighth coach of the year recognition of the program.

The Anteaters filled out the All-Big West teams earning two on the First Team as Botterill was joined by midfielder Ashish Chattha. Chattha finished second on the squad with four goals and 10 points. Three of those goals came in conference play including each of his game-winners, and seven of his 10 points came in Big West action for the first-year Anteater midfielder.

All-Big West Second Team had a pair of Anteaters with Montanile joined by fellow freshman Mathias Winum. Winum ranked second on the team in minutes playing every match and starting all but point on the Anteater backline. He helped the 'Eaters posted a conference-best seven clean sheets along the way while allowing 20 total goals and six against Big West foes.

Anteater veterans scored All-Big West Honorable Mention status with junior midfielder Beto Alvarenga and sophomore defender Ricardo Ibarra. Alvarenga finished third on the team with eight points scoring seven of those in Big West play. He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week from a two-goal match at CSU Bakersfield. Ibarra was one of a handful off Anteaters to start 18 of the 19 games he played. In his 1,353 minutes, he scored once and added three assists including two in a win at USD.

The Anteaters also landed two on the All-Freshman Team in Francesco Montanile and Mathias Winum who were also recognized on All-Big West teams. It stems from three being named to the 2019 All-Freshman Team in Roberto Molina, Eddy Berumen, and Oscar Cervantes.

For the third time this season, UC Irvine men’s soccer won multiple weekly awards as Ryan Khedoo was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week and Gordon Botterill the Defensive Player of the Week.

The two were recognized following their standout performances in a 1-0 victory at Cal State Fullerton that gave the Anteaters a share of the Big West regular-season title.

Khedoo’s first goal of the season was a clutch game-winner against the Titans. In the 62nd minute, Khedoo, who came off the bench, created his own opportunity with a steal in the box as CSF tried to play the ball back. He then made a quick move on the goalkeeper and calmly deposited a shot inside the far post. 

Botterill, meanwhile, led the UCI defense to its seventh shutout of the season. He finished the evening with six saves, including a huge denial on a Cal State Fullerton penalty kick with just over 11 minutes remaining. Reading it correctly, Botterill dove to his right to make the stop and preserve the 1-0 lead. It was his fifth solo clean sheet, and he lowered his conference-leading goals against average to 0.63.

UC Irvine has now won eight Big West weekly awards in 2021. This is the first career honor for Khedoo, and third for Botterill.

The Anteater midfielder scored in each of UCI's wins last week leading to his first honor since joining the Anteaters this year.

Ashish Chattha entered the week with two career goals and six points as he helped the ‘Eaters to home wins over UC San Diego and CSUN. He opened the scoring Wednesday with a second half strike that ended up being the game-winner. He opened the scoring again in the second half on Saturday in what was a 2-1 win giving him a point in three straight matches as he climbs to second on the team in scoring.

Chattha makes it two straight weeks for Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors for UCI following teammate Beto Alvarenga's win last week. It's the third offensive award with Alvarenga last week and Kelvin Neumetzler earlier in the non-conference. In addition to Gordon Botterill's pair of defensive honors and a Freshman of the Week award for Jake Means giving the program six awards overall in 2021.

The fourth-year Anteater claimed his first Big West Player of the Week award following his 2-goal performance at CSU Bakersfield and another unbeaten week for the Anteaters.

The midfielder entered the week with two career goals and six points as he helped the ‘Eaters draw with UC Davis on Wednesday night. Saturday, he doubled his career goal total with tallies 99 seconds apart at CSU Bakersfield in the 61st and 63rd minutes upping UCI’s lead from 1-0 to 3-0 en route to a 5-0 defeat of the Runners to bump the 'Eaters into a tie for second place in the Big West standings.

Alvarenga now stands second on the team with three goals and seven points. The award is the first of his career joining Gordon Botterill, Kelvin Neumetzler, and Jake Means for five awards total for the program in 2021.

The Anteaters earned a second week of multiple Big West awards earned by Gordon Botterill and Jake Means following a four-point week in Big West play.

UCI's grad transfer keeper, Gordon Botterill, earned his second Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season after posting a draw and win in the week. He and the Anteaters drew, 1-1, at UC Santa Barbara shutting out the Gauchos for the final 100 minutes of the match adding six saves. He took that momentum into Saturday night shutting out Cal Poly with one save that included 40 minutes of the match with the Anteaters playing a man down after a red card in the 50th minute. He continues to lead the conference in goals-against-average (.077), save percentage (.844), and saves per game (4.22).

The newest award winner was freshman forward Jake Means earning Big West Freshman of the Week. He earned his first start on Saturday while leading all players with four shots. He highlighted the week with a 90th-minute goal against UC Santa Barbara heading home a goal with 15 seconds left in regulation. He led all players with seven shots, four on target, and another two off the woodwork.

The Anteaters have taken home four awards on the season; one offensive, two defensive, and the program's first freshman of the week honor.. The 'Eaters won a total of three awards during the 2019 season, and have now taken home multiple awards twice this season.

The first Big West weekly awards of 2021 came as a duo as Kelvin Neumetzler was named Offensive Player of the Week and  Gordon Botterill sewed up Defensive Player of the Week in the conference

The fourth-year forward made an impact in each result last week for the Anteaters leading the squad with four shots in a 0-0 draw against Omaha, and then Sunday in a 5-0 win produced his first points as an Anteater scoring twice. Entering 2021, the German had just five matches to his name, but he's played in six so far in 2021 with a start and now leads the team in goals following their offensive explosion.

The newcomer between the posts Gordon Botterill has started all six matches since joining as a grad transfer from Fairfield prior to the season where he was MAAC Keeper of the Year once and four times on the All-MAAC squad. After 60 wins and 24 shutouts in four years there, he earned his first shutout Thursday and first win Sunday needing three saves total to do so for the Anteaters. Botterill began the season with the program's 17th 10-save match all-time, and since has totaled 25 with a .806 save percentage, seventh in the nation, and an 0.98 goals-against-average, to rank sixth in the NCAA.

The awards for each are the first of their careers. The 'Eaters won a total of three awards during the 2019 season, and the last time the program swept the pair of awards was October 2018 when UCI did it on a pair of occasions.

With the regular season just over a week away, The Big West posted its Preseason Coaches Poll and Preseason All-Big West team with a pair of Anteaters among the 11 players listed, and the Anteaters picked to finish in third among the 10 programs.

The 'Eaters as a team are projected to finish third while receiving one first-place vote. The 10 first-place votes were scattered among six programs including three each to UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis who are projected to tie for first. Even schools projected eighth and last received first-place votes.

The preseason team is flushed with Anteaters as well as Eddy Berumen and Oscar Cervantes earned honors on the 11-player preseason squad. It's the first honor for each, and mark the third straight season with a pair of 'Eaters on the preseason squad.

Berumen was an All-Big West Freshman Team member as a lockdown defender starting 17 of 19 matches and playing over 1,100 minutes. He assisted on a pair of goals in that freshman season of 2019. Since the team's last matches, he earned Dean's List status on all three quarters in 2020-21.

Cervantes enjoyed a successful freshman season in 2019 coming on late to play 18 matches including starting all eight Big West matches. He scored twice, both turning out to be game-winners, and added a pair of assists as he joined Berumen on the All-Big West Freshman Team.

2021 Men's Soccer Awards

Big West Goalkeeper of the Year 
Gordon Botterill - Grad., GK

Big West Freshman of the Year
Francesco Montanile - Fr., FWD

Big West Coach of the Year
Yossi Raz

All-Big West
First Team
Gordon Botterill - Grad., GK
Ashish Chattha - Jr., MF
Second Team
Francesco Montanile - Fr., FWD
Mathias Winum - Fr., DEF
Honorable Mention
Beto Alvarenga - Jr., MF
Ricardo Ibarra - So., DEF

Big West Offensive Player of the Week
Ryan Khedoo - Grad. - FWD - Oct. 25-31
Ashish Chattha - Jr., MF - Oct. 18-24
Beto Alvarenga - Jr., MF - Oct. 11-17
Kelvin Neumetzler - RS-So., FWD - Sept. 6-12

Big West Defensive Player of the Week
Gordon Botterill - Grad., GK - Oct. 25-31
Gordon Botterill - Grad., GK - Oct. 4-10
Gordon Botterill - Grad., GK - Sept. 6-12

Big West Freshman of the Week
Jake Means - Fr., FWD - Oct. 4-10

Preseason All-Big West
Eddy Berumen - So., D / M
Oscar Cervantes - So., MF