Kansas City – Three Gustavus Adolphus men’s soccer players have been named to the 2013 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III Men’s All-North Region Team released Monday, Dec. 9. Goalkeeper Brett Ylonen (Jr., Lake Elmo, Minn.) and forward Zach Brown (Jr., Eau Claire, Wis.) earned a spot on the first team, while midfielder David Lilly (Jr., Maple Grove, Minn.) garnered third team recognition.
Now a staple of the NSCAA All-North Region Team, Brett Ylonen earns first team honors for the second straight year after being named to the third team as a rookie back in 2011. Ylonen was once again Head Coach Mike Middleton’s go-to keeper, registering a total of 1,636:11 minutes in net and going 14-4-1 overall in Gustavus’s 2013 campaign. The junior allowed just 10 goals for an MIAC-leading goals against average of 0.55. He tallied 59 saves for a save percentage of .855 and finished the year with seven complete-match shutouts. At one point during the heart of October, Brett went five straight matches and 439:30 consecutive minutes without allowing a single goal. Following this year’s NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship played last weekend, Ylonen’s goals against average is ranked ninth in the nation while his save percentage ranks 22nd. Brett ranks second in program history in minutes played with over 4,791 and also ranks seventh in saves with 179.
After earning third team distinction last season as a sophomore, Gustavus’s top striker, Zach Brown, takes home first team honors after leading the team in scoring for the third straight year. Brown scored a total of 24 points on ten goals and four assists. He recorded five game-winning goals, scored two goals in a game three times, and was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year – the fifth player in Gustavus men’s soccer history to earn the honor. A relentless attacker, Brown registered 64 shots (27 on goal) for a shots on goal percentage of .422. The junior moved up in the Gustavus record books and now ranks fifth alongside Bobby Kroog in career goals (36) and seventh in career scoring (75).
Achieving third team honors for the second straight year is the Middleton’s midfield quarterback David Lilly. Playing a key role in dictating the pace and rhythm of Gustavus’s possession system, Lilly recorded three goals and eight assists for a career-best 14 points. His three goals is a career-high while his eight dimes ranked 54th in the country. Having a knack for providing the key assist at opportune moments, Lilly set up five game-winning goals this season. Playing in all but one game over his three-year collegiate career, Lilly now sits tied for fourth all-time in career assists at Gustavus with 18 alongside Scott Stoneking and Chuck Larson. Thanks to the strong play of its midfield and back line, the Black and Gold finished the year with the 14th-ranked defense in NCAA Division III, allowing 0.62 goals per game.
Any remaining NSCAA/Continental Tire All-America Teams yet announced will be released throughout the week, culminating with the NCAA men’s All-Americans on Friday, Dec. 13.
Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Kan., the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate coaches, encourage excellence and serve the soccer community.
The NSCAA is the world’s largest soccer coaches’ organization with members at every level of the game. The membership is primarily made up of coaches, but also includes administrators, referees and others in the soccer industry. The NSCAA provides its members ways to enhance the game of soccer by providing a national education program, interaction and networking opportunities, and membership benefits.
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