BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Three Gustavus men’s soccer players were named MIAC All-Conference and a trio were named honorable mention on Wednesday afternoon. Rookie Jared Hecht (So.., Apple Valley) was named the MIAC Defensive Player of the Year while Matthew Gibbons (Sr., Minneapolis) earned his third straight all conference nod. Otis Anderson (So., Minneapolis) also joins them on the All-Conference team.
Additionally, three Gusties were also named honorable mentions; Trace Dobson (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.), Owen Johnson (Fy., Apple Valley), and Sam Just (Fy., Lakeville).
Hecht entered the season as a defensive power house for the Gusties. Hecht posted his first assist against Central in the 5-0 Gustavus win and scored the game winning goal at Augsburg the following week. Hecht finished the season strong with a goal in the 4-1 win at Hamline and another in the final Gustie 3-0 win at Hamline. The defender was fifth in goals for the Gusties and sixth in shots on goal. Hecht is the seventh Gustie since 1984 to receive MIAC postseason individual honors in men’s soccer and the first since David Lilly was named MIAC Player of the Year in 2014.
Making the All-Conference team for the third consecutive season, Gibbons led the team with nine goals and six assists. Gibbons ends his career with his name etched into the record book with his 39th career assist against Hamline to break the career assist record previously held by Larry Sehlhammer (1972-75) with 38. Gibbons became the 82nd player in conference history to earn at least three All-MIAC selections in men’s soccer and the first to do it since 2018.
Rounding out the All-Conference selections as a defender, Anderson makes his debut with a four goal and two assist season. He made strides early in the season with a game winning goal at Luther and became a key player on the back line for Gustavus.
Dobson stepped up for the Gusties at pivotal points in the season with all three of the seniors goals being game winners to earn honorable mention. Newcomer Johnson led the conference with 11 assists while tacking on two goals, and Sam Just finished the season registering four assists.
As part of a Conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC also announced the 15th annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for men’s soccer. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition with David Jansen (Sr., Roetgen, Germany) receiving the honor for the Gusties.