ARLINGTON, Texas — Utah Valley University freshman Owen Knecht was named WAC Freshman of the Year on Tuesday, with senior defender Nico Torres and sophomore midfielder Alejandro Silva also receiving first team All-WAC honors. 

Sophomore midfielder Diego Castillo was also named second team All-WAC. Additionally, the Wolverines earned three honorees on the WAC All-Freshman team, with Mark Andros and Landon Carter joining Knecht on the list of the league's top freshmen. 

Grand Canyon's Shaun Joash was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year, with Air Force's London Aghedo picking up Defensive Player of the Year honors. Air Force's Doug Hill was named WAC Coach of the Year by the conference's coaches, who cannot vote for their own players. 

Knecht is the second-consecutive Wolverine to earn Freshman of the Year honors, following up Castillo's stellar freshman campaign in 2021. Knecht led all WAC freshmen with three goals in conference play and scored four overall, which is second-most on the team. Knecht scored a brace in a 3-0 win over Houston Christian on Oct. 13, and added goals against Santa Clara and Grand Canyon.

Torres has anchored the Wolverine back line that has continued to get stronger as the season progressed. Utah Valley allowed the second-fewest goals in WAC play behind only San Jose State, and has allowed just three goals over its last seven matches. Torres was honored as WAC Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 16 when the Wolverines picked up two shutout victories over HCU and UTRGV. Torres' first UVU goal clinched his team a spot in the WAC Tournament when the Wolverines took down California Baptist on the final matchday of the season. 

Silva has been the heartbeat of the Utah Valley midfield for much of the season. Silva played 1,138 out of a possible 1,350 for the Wolverines this season, the most for a non-defender and third-most on the team. Silva led the team with six assists and added two goals. This is Silva's third All-WAC selection, as he was named second team All-WAC in 2021 and an All-WAC honorable mention in 2020. Silva ranks among the top 75 players in the nation in assists per game average with 0.40, and ranks second in the WAC in that same category.

Castillo earned his second All-WAC nomination, after picking up Freshman of the Year and second team All-WAC honors in 2021. Castillo started 10 games for the Wolverines and led the team with 22 shots. Castillo had one assist versus Houston Christian and one goal against UTRGV. 

Andros leads the Wolverines in goals and points heading into the WAC Tournament. Andros scored a team-high five goals, including game-winners against CSUN and California Baptist, and added goals against Washington, UCSB, and UNLV. 

Carter started four games in goal for the Wolverines in WAC play and picked up two shutouts. The freshman from Gilbert, Ariz. allowed just two goals on the season for a goals-against average of 0.50 that ranked best among all WAC goalies in conference play.

 

2022 WAC Offensive Player of the Year

Shaun Joash, Sr., F, Grand Canyon

2022 WAC Defensive Player of the Year

London Aghedo, Sr., D, Air Force

2022 WAC Freshman of the Year

Owen Knecht, F/MF, Utah Valley

2022 WAC Coach of the Year

Doug Hill, Air Force

2022 All-WAC First Team

Akili Kasim, Sr., GK, Seattle U

London Aghedo, Sr., D, Air Force

Thomas Beecham, So., D, California Baptist

Nico Torres, Sr., D, Utah Valley

Beau Leroux, So., MF, San José State

Finlay Wood, Grad, MF, San José State

Peter Kingston, Jr., MF, Seattle U

Alejandro Silva, So., MF, Utah Valley

Thaddaeus Dewing, Jr., F, Air Force

Bryan Iliohan, Sr., F, California Baptist

Shaun Joash, Sr., F, Grand Canyon

 

2022 All-WAC Second Team

David Sweeney, Sr., GK, San José State

David Cordes, So., D, California Baptist

Eduardo Miranda, Grad, D, San José State

Kasper Poulsgaard, Sr., D, San José State

Jibril Rodet, So., MF, Grand Canyon

Yusuf Cueceoglu, Sr., MF, UTRGV

Diego Castillo, So., MF, Utah Valley

Jacob Angeletti, Sr., F, Air Force

Elijah Bussey, Sr., F, Air Force

Luis Mueller, Jr., F, California Baptist

Bryant Farkarlun, Sr., F, Houston Christian

 

2022 WAC All-Freshman Team

Alex Aitken, GK, Houston Christian

Landon Carter, GK, Utah Valley

Erick Monge, D, Grand Canyon

Adolfo Pino, MF, California Baptist

Bright Nutornutsi, MF/F, Grand Canyon

D'Alessandro Herrera, MF, Houston Christian

Gaku Nishimura, MF, San José State

Yeider Zuluaga, MF, Seattle U

Mark Andros, MF, Utah Valley

Riccardo Scarafia, F, San José State

Taylor Rogers, F, Utah Tech

Owen Knecht, F/MF, Utah Valley