MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference team and major awards for the 2025 men's soccer season.
League champion Edgewood University scored the lion's share of the major awards as juniors
Cristian Torres-Gale and
Ben Brody were named NACC Midfielder of the Year and NACC Defender of the Year, respectively, and senior
Maverick Van Laanen was named NACC Goalkeeper of the Year. Additionally, the
Tim Bruner-led Edgewood staff was recognized by the league's coaches as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year, Aurora University senior
Branden Dolezal was named NACC Forward of the Year, and Illinois Institute of Technology forward
Mateo Secaira was recognized as the league's Freshman of the Year.
Forward of the Year - Branden Dolezal, Sr., Aurora University
Dolezal, a senior, has started all 19 games for Aurora, totaling 43 points on 18 goals and seven assists heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. He has recorded at least one goal in 12 of 19 games this season and notched the game-winner on four occasions. Dolezal also has four multiple-goal games, registering braces against Concordia Chicago and Marian and hat tricks against Wisconsin Lutheran and Benedictine. The hat trick against Benedictine came in the quarterfinal round of the NACC Tournament.
Dolezal currently ranks in the top-10 nationally in points per game (eighth, 2.26) and goals per game (ninth, 0.95), leading the NACC in both categories as well as total goals and total points. He also sits third in game-winning goals and fourth in assists and ranks second in both shots per game (3.89) and shots on goal per game (2.16).
Dolezal succeeds two-time winner Enrique Gonzalez of Aurora as the NACC's top attacker.
Midfielder of the Year - Cristian Torres-Gale, Jr., Edgewood University
Torres-Gale, a junior, was named the inaugural NACC Midfielder of the Year. He played in 18 of Edgewood's 19 games this season, totaling 15 points on seven goals and an assist while facilitating the Eagles' high-powered offense.
Six of Torres-Gale's goals came in NACC play, includling his lone game-winner in a 2-1 win over Illinois Tech on Sept. 27.
Torres-Gale ranks fifth among NACC players in shot per game (3.00) and eighth in shots on goal per game (1.44).
Defender of the Year - Ben Brody, Jr., Edgewood University
Brody, a junior, played in all 19 games for Edgewood this season, recording a goal and an assist on 20 shots from his spot anchoring the Eagles' backline. In the regular season, Edgewood did not concede a goal off a corner kick or a served set piece.
Regarded as one of the most impactful players on the Edgewood roster, Brody regularly had the most touches in a contest for the Eagles outside of goalkeeper Maverick Van Laanen and rarely lost the ball.
Brody is the second-consecutive Edgewood student-athlete to earn the NACC's top defenisve honor. Teammate Jack Knight was named the NACC Defensive Player of the Year a year ago.
Goalkeeper of the Year - Maverick Van Laanen, Sr., Edgewood University
Van Laanen, a senior, repeated as NACC Goalkeeper of the Year. He started 16 of 19 games, registering a 13-1-2 mark with 37 saves and just six goals allowed in 1,215 minutes of play. Van Laanen also recorded six shutouts, while posting a .444 goals-against average and a .860 save percentage.
Van Laanen ranked in the top 15 nationally in both goals-against average (seventh) and save percentage, both with NACC-leading figures. His six shutouts also led the NACC.
Some of Van Laanen's toughest tests this season came against MSOE. He made a season-high 10 saves while backstopping the Eagles to a victory in the regular-season matchup, then allowed multiple goals for the only time during the season as the Raiders emerged with a 2-0 win in the NACC Tourmament semifinals.
Freshman of the Year - Mateo Secaira, F, Illinois Institute of Technology
Secaira, a forward, played in all 20 games for Illinois Tech this season, registering 41 points on 18 goals and five assists. He also recorded five game-winning goals and was a perfect 3-for-3 on penalty-kick attempts.
After posting just four goals and an assist in the Scarlet Hawks' first eight games, Secaira recorded a goal in nine of the team's final 12 games and at least a point in 11 of 12. He had four multiple-goal games during the season, registering two goals each in back-to-back games against Hope and Caltech in early September. Secaira had two goals - including a penalty kick and the game-winner - in a 4-3 win over Beneditctine to open October, then erupted for five goals in in Illinois Tech's regular-season finale win over Rockford.
Secaira currently shares the NACC goal-scoring lead with Dolezal (18 each) and ranks in the top-10 among NACC players in game-winning goals (second), points per game (third, 2.05), total points (third), shots on goal per game (third, 1.80), shot per game (third, 3.40), shot accuracy (seventh, 0.529), and total assists (eighth). His goal and point totals also rank fifth and ninth, respectively, in NCAA Division III.
Secaira is the first Scarlet Hawk to earn a NACC major award in men's soccer.
Coaching Staff of the Year - Edgewood University (Tim Bruner, head coach)
The Eagles won their second consecutive NACC title, outscoring league opponents by a 52-3 margin while building a perfect 12-0-0 mark in conference play. Edgewood bowed out of the NACC Tournament after a semifinal loss to MSOE and is currently 15-2-2 overall.
The Eagles currently hold top-10 national rankings in a number of statistical categories, including NCAA Division III-best marks in goal differential (+52) and shot per game (22.84). Edgewood also ranks fourth nationally in team goals-against average (0.444) and total goals scored (60), fifth in shots on goal per game (10.16) and total points (174), sixth in points per game (9.16), seventh in assists per game (2.84), shutout percentage (0.632), and total assists (54), eighth in scoring offense (3.16 gpg), and ninth in save percentage (.855). Of those categories, the Eagles lead the NACC in goal differential, save percentage, shots per game, shutout percentage, and team goals-against average, while ranking second to Aurora in the remainder.
Third-year head coach
Tim Bruner is assisted by
Ben Brereton,
Tony Kollasch,
Logan Fletcher,
Peter Lively,
Dan Gage, and
Ryan Quamme.
This is the second consecutive year that the Edgewood staff has been honored by their peers.
All-Conference Team Announced
The NACC also announced its 2025 all-conference men's soccer team. League champion Edgewood led all programs with nine selections across the two 14-member squads. The Eagles also secured a league-best six first-team selections. Aurora was next with seven honorees overall, followed by MSOE with six, St. Norbert with four, and Illinois Tech and Lakeland with one apiece. The Spartans had four first-team selections, MSOE had three, and Illinois Tech one.
| 2025 All-NACC Men's Soccer Team |
| Forward of the Year |
Branden Dolezal, Aurora |
| Midfielder of the Year |
Cristian Torres-Gale, Edgewood |
| Defender of the Year |
Ben Brody, Edgewood |
| Goalkeeper of the Year |
Maverick Van Laanen, Edgewood |
| Freshman of the Year |
Mateo Secaira, Illinois Tech |
| Coaching Staff of the Year |
Edgewood (Tim Bruner, head coach) |
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Maverick Van Laanen |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
GK |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Julian Orozco |
Aurora |
Jr. |
D |
Hoffman Estates, Ill. |
| Ben Brody |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
D |
Madison, Wis. |
| Jack Knight |
Edgewood |
Gr. |
D |
Verona, Wis. |
| Adrian Manchado |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Cubas de la Sagra Madrid, Spain |
| Omar Saldana |
Aurora |
Jr. |
MF |
Elgin, Ill. |
| Riley Stevens |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
MF |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| Cristian Torres-Gale |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
MF |
Madison, Wis. |
| Tanner Cellio |
MSOE |
Sr. |
MF |
Overland Park, Kan. |
| Branden Dolezal |
Aurora |
Sr. |
F |
San Luis Obispo, Calif. |
| Josue Roman |
Aurora |
So. |
F |
Glendale Heights, Ill. |
| Connor Gage |
Edgewood |
So. |
F |
Verona, Wis. |
| Mateo Secaira |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
F |
San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Nico Picha |
MSOE |
Jr. |
F |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Asher Harris |
MSOE |
Sr. |
GK |
Oconomowoc, Wis. |
| Jackson Kiszka |
St. Norbert |
So. |
GK |
Portage, Mich. |
| Walter Delapaz |
Aurora |
So. |
D |
South Elgin, Ill. |
| Brandon Kaup |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
D |
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. |
| Michael Rohrman |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Olney, Md. |
| Dominic Lagona |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
D |
Brookfield, Wis. |
| Luca Avendano |
Aurora |
Jr. |
MF |
St. Charles, Ill. |
| Carlos Viayra |
Aurora |
Jr. |
MF |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Liam Moreira |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
MF |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| Kevin Ramirez |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
MF |
De Pere, Wis. |
| Davis Vega |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
MF |
Mukwonago, Wis. |
| Gabe Voung |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
F |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| Jordan Davis-Troller |
Lakeland |
Sr. |
F |
Cottage Grove, Wis. |
| Ditar Useni |
MSOE |
So. |
F |
Glencoe, Ill. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Alex Ageladelis |
Aurora |
Sr. |
GK |
New Port Ritchey, Fla. |
| Max Crawford |
Aurora |
Jr. |
D |
Mattawan, Mich. |
| Jordan Rolon |
Benedictine |
So. |
GK |
St. Charles, Ill. |
| Travis Fowler |
Dominican |
So. |
D |
Franklin, Tenn. |
| Ryan Gutierrez |
Dominican |
Sr. |
MF |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Matthew Watson |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
D |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Adrian Cogolludo |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
MF |
Zaragoza, Spain |
| Danny Aranda |
MSOE |
Sr. |
MF |
Racine, Wis. |
| Hayden Dunn |
St. Norbert |
Fr. |
F |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Jesus Ramirez Pabon |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
MF |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Jack Leffel |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Sr. |
D |
Germantown, Wis. |