AUSTIN, Texas --- Three members of the Tusculum College men's soccer team have been named to the 2016 NCAA Division II Academic All-District 3 Men's Soccer team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Senior defender Guillermo Lazcano and senior forward Jonathan Spicher were voted to the Academic All-District team for the second consecutive year, while senior goalkeeper Jorge Alvarez is a first-time honoree. All three will advance to the national ballot, with the Academic All-America teams released in late November.
Lazcano, a native of Aviles, Spain, has a 3.60 cumulative grade-point average as a sport management major. A captain, he has started 10 matches for the Pioneers and registered three goals, two of which came on penalty kicks against Pfeiffer on Sept. 28 and Mars Hill on Oct. 14. In three seasons, Lazcano has six goals and three assists for 15 points in 44 career matches (43 starts).
Spicher, who hails from Cologne, Germany, has a perfect 4.00 grade point average while majoring in accounting. Last year, he became just the second player in program history to earn Academic All-America honors when he was a third-team selection. Spicher has played in eight matches and scored one goal, but it was an important one as he netted the tying goal with 59 seconds left in regulation as the Pioneers upset sixth-ranked Pfeiffer 3-2 in overtime on Sept. 28. In 57 career matches (40 starts), Spicher has 15 goals and four assists for 34 points, with five of his goals being game-winners.
Alvarez, a native of Gijon, Spain, has a 3.35 cumulative grade-point average as a sport management major. A three-year starter, Alvarez has made 14 starts in goal for the Pioneers this season and compiled a 13-1-0 record with a 0.92 goals against average. Six of his victories have come by shutout, and he has allowed one goal or less in 10 of his 14 appearances. Alvarez ranks second in the conference in both goals against average and in save percentage (.794), while his six shutouts are tied for second in the league.
For his career, Alvarez has a 30-8-4 record in 42 starts with a 0.96 goals against average and a .798 save percentage. He is currently the program career leader in goals against average, while ranking sixth with 166 saves. His 16 career shutouts are the second-most in a Pioneer career, while his 3,935 career minutes place him fourth on the school all-time list.
Members of the CoSIDA NCAA II Academic All-District 3 Team are selected from nominees representing all colleges and universities in the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas and Peach Belt Conference.
The 25th-ranked Pioneers (13-2-0, 8-2-0 South Atlantic Conference) conclude their regular season on Saturday with a visit to top-ranked and unbeaten Wingate University. The Pioneers have clinched the number two seed in next week's SAC Tournament, which begins Tuesday with a quarterfinal home game against an opponent to be determined following the conclusion of Saturday's games.
CoSIDA NCAA II Academic All-District 3 Men's Soccer First Team
Pos Name, School
GK Jorge Alvarez, Tusculum
D Nestor Aguilar, Limestone
D Breki Bjarnason, Catawba
D Damian Gaona, Wingate
D Guillermo Lazcano, Tusculum
MF Luis Calderon, King
MF David Fairgrieve, Wingate
MF Ian Orr, Catawba
MF Ramin Varnhorn, Young Harris
F Corey Brown, Queens
F Gui Machado, Limestone
F Jonathan Spicher, Tusculum
