AUSTIN, Texas --- Tusculum College's Jonathan Spicher and Guillermo Lazcano have been named to the 2016 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Academic All-America® Second Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Spicher earns Academic All-America® accolades for a second straight year, moving up to the second team from last season, while Lazcano garners his first Academic All-America® recognition.
Spicher, a senior forward from Cologne, Germany, has a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average while majoring in accounting and becomes the first two-time Academic All-American® in program history. Spicher played in 13 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 and defending NCAA II national champion Pfeiffer 3-2 in overtime. In 62 career matches (40 starts), Spicher posted 15 goals and four assists for 34 points, with five of his goals being match-winners.
Lazcano, a senior defender from Aviles, Spain, has a 3.60 GPA as a sport management major. A captain, he played in 14 matches with 13 starts for the Pioneers and registered four goals, two of which came on penalty kicks against Pfeiffer and Mars Hill. In three seasons, Lazcano has seven goals and three assists for 15 points in 47 career matches (46 starts).
The Pioneers finished the season with a 16-4 overall record and finished second in the South Atlantic Conference with an 8-3 league worksheet. Tusculum won the SAC Tournament Championship with wins over Mars Hill, Coker and Lincoln Memorial, winning the league postseason crown for a record sixth time. TC earned a berth to the NCAA II Tournament where the Pioneers were eliminated 3-1 by Lenoir-Rhyne in the opening round. Tusculum won its first 12 matches establishing a new record for most consecutive victories.
The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2016-17 Division II Academic All-America® teams program.
2016 CoSIDA NCAA II Academic All-America® Men's Soccer Team
First Team
GK – Jesper Malmstrom, LIU Post
D – Nestor Aguilar, Limestone
D – Evan Garrad, Missouri-St. Louis
D – Joe Rund, Missouri-St. Louis
D – Josh Smith, Bloomsburg
M – Gianluca Bottoni, Rockhurst
M – Erik Kemsies, Hawai'i Pacific
M – Joe Smith, Seton Hill
F – Corey Brown, Queens (N.C.)
F – Gui Machado, Limestone
F – Ovan Oakley, Concordia (N.Y.)
Second Team
GK – Kevin Leib, St. Edward's
D – Bryan Baugh, Dixie State
D – Jens Demul, West Virginia Wesleyan
D – Davis Karaica, Seattle Pacific
D – Guillermo Lazcano, Tusculum
M – Nico Andrade, Maryville (Mo.)
M – Graham Bobo, Mississippi College
M – Jordan Kollars, Seattle Pacific
F – Thom Derks, Mercyhurst
F – Sam Palano, UC San Diego
F – Jonathan Spicher, Tusculum
Third Team
GK – Brandon Watson, Simon Fraser
D – Damian Gaona, Wingate
D – Lukas Grosse-Puppendahl, Davis & Elkins
D – Alejandro Penzini, Adelphi
D – Phillip White, Harding
M – Harry Pearse, LIU Post
M – Ramin Varnhorn, Young Harris
M – Matt Volk, Rollins
F – Josh Belfrage, Metropolitan State
F – Thomas Coombes, Barry
F – Jamie Cortes Torres, Merrimack
CoSIDA Academic All-American® of the Year
Jesper Malmstrom, LIU Post
