Three Spartans Named A-Sun All-Conference, Wild Voted Freshman of the Year
11/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Macon, Ga. – USC Upstate freshman forward Gordon Wild has been selected as the A-Sun Men's Soccer Freshman of the Year and was one of three Spartans recognized on the All-Conference Team, the conference announced this afternoon.
Along with Freshman of the Year accolades, Wild was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection while also earning recognition on the All-Freshman Team. Senior defender Tucker Beerman and sophomore midfielder Leon Schwarzer joined Wild as a First Team All-Conference honoree.
Wild becomes the first Upstate men's soccer player in program history to be named A-Sun Freshman of the Year after turning in the best offensive performance during a season in the Division I era. The Steimel, Germany native logged 14 goals this season, including three-game winners, and one assist for 29 points. In his first season as a Spartan, Wild set the Spartans Division I era record for career goals and points, as well as the Division I single-season record in both categories.
He currently leads the nation in goals per game, points per game, shots per game and shots on-goal per game, and is second in goals. Wild also finished the regular season first in the A-Sun in goals, points and shots. The forward was voted the A-Sun Player of the Week four times this year including three straight from Sept. 8-21, becoming just the second player in conference history, and first since 1995, to receive the recognition four times in a season. He has also been selected as the National Player of the Week by College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer.
Wild scored a Division I era record four goals for Upstate in a school record-breaking 7-0 win at Presbyterian College, marking the first time in 11 years a Spartan has scored four goals in a game. The four goals are also tied for seventh-most in a game in A-Sun history. He recorded his first career hat trick in a 5-4 home win over Winthrop.
Schwarzer was named First Team All-Conference after starting in all 12 games this season in the midfield. The sophomore led the Spartans in assists with five, and ranked second in goals with six and points with 17. He was first in the A-Sun in assists, third in points and tied for third in goals. Nationally, Schwarzer is 15th in points per game, 29th in assists per game and 37th in goals per game.
The midfielder recorded two multi-goal games this season in wins over Presbyterian College and Winthrop. He tallied six points on two goals and two assists in a 7-0 road victory at Presbyterian College.
Recently, he was named to the A-Sun All-Academic Team and CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
Beerman started in all 11 games he appeared in this season at the defender position. A team captain this year, Beerman attempted a total of 11 shots with two of those going on-goal.
He was the anchor of an Upstate defense that held opponents scoreless three times with one coming in conference play during a 0-0 draw against Stetson. The Spartans held Presbyterian College and VMI without a goal in back-to-back games.
Upstate, the fourth seed in the A-Sun Men's Soccer Championship, begins tournament play Thursday evening at 7 p.m. against fifth-seeded Jacksonville in Fort Myers, Fla.
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All-Atlantic Sun First Team
Nathan Ingham, GK, FGCU*
Aaron Guillen, D, FGCU*
Jay Bolt, D, North Florida*
Tucker Beerman, D, USC Upstate
Alex Morrell, MF, North Florida*
Rodrigo Saravia, MF, FGCU
Ivan Alvarado, MF, Lipscomb
Leon Schwarzer, MF, USC Upstate
Lucas Diniz, MF, Stetson
Gordon Wild, F, USC Upstate
Albert Ruiz, F, FGCU
Ejiroghene Mrabure, F, Jacksonville
Logan Paynter, F, Lipscomb
Helge Pietschmann, F, North Florida
- A tie in voting led to 14-person first team
All-Atlantic Sun Second Team
Kyle Nasta, GK, North Florida
Nicolas Samayoa, D, FGCU
Joe Kerridge, D, Lipscomb
Simen Solstad, D, North Florida
Jeppe Moe, D, Stetson
Miguel Jaime, MF, FGCU
Alberto Escobedo, MF, Jacksonville
Anthony Cedano, MF, Lipscomb
Josh Castellanos, MF, North Florida
Dylan Sacramento, F, FGCU
Matt Kerridge, F, Lipscomb
Milan Kovacs, F, North Florida
- A tie in voting led to 12-person second team
All-Atlantic Sun Freshman Team
Gordon Wild, F, USC Upstate
Preston Kilwien, D, FGCU
Dennis Zapata, MF, FGCU
Alberto Escobedo, MF, Jacksonville
Wayne Campbell, F, Jacksonville
Cole Brown, D, Lipscomb
Logan Paynter, F, Lipscomb
Josh Castellanos, MF, North Florida
Ivan Castro, MF, North Florida
Julien Coulomb, MF, Stetson
Ian McCauley, D, Stetson
Player of the Year: Rodrigo Saravia, FGCU
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Guillen, FGCU*
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nathan Ingham, FGCU*
Freshman of the Year: Gordon Wild, USC Upstate
Co-Coaches of the Year: Bob Butehorn, FGCU/Derek Marinatos, North Florida
* - Denotes a unanimous selection
