Nov. 21, 2001

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University's men's soccer team landed three players on the All-West Coast Conference first team announced Wednesday, the first time in their 9-year WCC history the Bulldogs have had more than two players selected to the first team.

Senior defenders Danny Huet of Aurora, Colo., and Zach Scott of Haiku, Hawai'i, were joined by freshman midfielder Arni Ingi Pjetursson of Reykjavik, Iceland, as Gonzaga's first-team selections.

A total of six Bulldogs were honored in the vote of the league coaches as junior defender Tryggvi Bjornsson of Reykjavik, Iceland, sophomore defender/midfielder Matt Prichard of Tacoma, Wash., and sophomore midfielder Scott Yuska of Corte Madera, Calif., were accorded honorable mention.

Gonzaga's defense helped the Bulldogs record seven shutouts this season, two shy of the school single-season record set in 1998. The Bulldogs allowed just 13 goals in 15 matches for a 0.87 goals against average. Huet was a second-team selection last season, while the other five Bulldogs are first-time honorees. Scott was also the second-leading scorer for the Bulldogs, his three goals in a 4-1 win over 14th-ranked Loyola Marymount University knotting him for second on the team in goals, and his 7 points also good for a tie second.

Pjetursson, who sat out last season with a hip injury that required surgery, came back strong this season. He scored a team-high five goals and led the team in scoring with 13 points. He also paced the team in shots with 59.

Bjornsson and Prichard were also instrumental in Gonzaga's stingy defense, while Yuska paced the team with four assists.

"This is a great accomplishment for the individuals and for our program," Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson said. "To have three players selected for the first time is something special. I thought we had a good chance for two, but to get three really shows the respect other coaches in the league have for our program."

Santa Clara University senior Jeff Stewart was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and also doubled as the Co-Defender of the Year. Rounding out the league's top honors are Loyola Marymount University defender Matt Kovar, who earned Freshman of the Year, and University of San Diego junior goalkeeper Justin Neerhof who shared WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors with Stewart. SCU head coach Mitch Murray was selected by his peers as the WCC Coach of the Year.

The Broncos won the WCC regular-season title and lead five teams into the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship starting this weekend. Gonzaga earned its inaugural NCAA appearance and will face WCC foe University of Portland on Friday at 2 p.m. at the University of Washington in a first-round match. LMU and USD are also headed for the playoffs.

Stewart is the first Player of the Year honoree from SCU since Paul Holocher in 1991. SCU's offense posted just 19 goals this season, a Stewart-led defense kept the Broncos in games enough to post a 11-8 overall record and earn the school's sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament in the last seven years.

LMU's Kovar is the first-ever Lion to receive Freshman of the Year honors, while Mitch Murray's WCC Coach of the Year honor was his second, the other coming in 1991. USD's Neerhof becomes the third goalie to receive WCC Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

Name                      Yr.    Pos.   Hometown
Arturo Torres, LMU        Jr.     F     Wilmington, Calif.
Ryan Coiner, USD          Jr.     F     Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Jeff Stewart, SCU         Sr.     D     Bellevue, Wash
Nick Marcum, SMC          Sr.     M     San Diego, Calif.>br>Justin Neerhof, USD       Jr.     GK    Denver, Colo.
Nate Jaqua, POR           So.     F     Eugene, Ore.
Danny Huet, GON           Jr.     D     Aurora, Colo.
Arni Ingi Pjetursson,GON  Fr.     MF    Reykjavik, Iceland
Brandon Henley, POR       Sr.     F     Sacramento, CA
Kelly Gray, POR           Jr.     F     San Jose, CA
Zach Scott, GON           Sr.     D     Haiku, HI

Michael Erush, LMU        So.     M     Van Nuys, Calif.
Scott Burcar, USD         So.     M     Graham, Wash.

Andres Murriagui, LMU     Jr.     M     Laguna Hills, CA
Chris Schwarze, USF       Fr.     D     Camarillo, CA
Curtis Spiteri, POR       Jr.     GK    Vista, CA
Garrett Turk, USD         Jr.     D     Laguna Nigel, CA
Matt Kovar, LMU           Fr.     D     Palos Verdes, CA
Sy Reeves, USD            Jr.     F     Ellensburg, WA
Josh Hansen, USF          So.     F     Phoenix, CA
Ryan Cochrane, SCU        Fr.     D     Portland, OR

HONORABLE MENTION

Issac Vanden Burg, POR, Josh Duffy, SMC, Jamil Walker, SCU, Jeff Kovar, LMU, Steve Cronin, SCU, Rusty Johnson, SCU, Matt Prichard, GON, Anthony Medina, USF, Joe Astroth, SMC, Kyle Tanner, POR, Gerard Hylkema, USF, Tryggvi Bjornsson, GON, Brandon McNeil, POR, Scott Yuska, GON, Keith Burden, SCU, Kevin Novak, LMU.

Player of the Year: Jeff Stewart, Santa Clara
Freshman of the Year: Matt Kovar, Loyola Marymount
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Jeff Stewart, Santa Clara, Justin Neerhof, San Diego
Coach of the Year: Mitch Murray, Santa Clara