ARLINGTON, Texas — Utah Valley placed four players on the All-WAC teams, with three being named to the second team and one landing on the WAC All-Freshmen team.
Midfielders Isaac Emojong and Gilles Aurelien and defender Keegan Oyler were named to the All-WAC second team. Freshman forward Lewis Knecht was named to the WAC All-Freshman team.
Aurelien, a senior from Bracknell, England, ran the midfield for the Wolverines this season, playing in and starting 13 of 14 games. Aurelien played an even 1,000 minutes this season, one of five players to reach that mark, while scoring one goal and adding two assists. Aurelien played 75 or more minutes in nine of his 13 appearances. Aurelien scored arguably the goal of the season against Omaha earlier this year, while picking up assists against Gonzaga and Utah Tech.
Emojong, a sophomore from Davis, Calif., has a team-high six goals entering postseason play, as well as two assists. Emojong is just the third UVU underclassman to score at least six goals in a season, and the first since 2015. With two more goals, Emojong would pass Matt Gay for most in a season by an underclassman, who scored seven as a freshman in 2014. Emojong is one of five players to have appeared in every game so far this season, and leads the team in both shots and shots on goal.
Oyler, a redshirt junior from Meridian, Idaho, leads the WAC in assists with eight, a mark that ranks fourth-best in program history and ninth in the nation entering postseason play. Oyler has also played a pivotal role in UVU's defensive success, helping the team to six shutouts. Oyler is one of three players to start every game this season, and has played the third-most minutes on the team with 1,168.
Knecht, a freshman from American Fork, Utah, was named to the All-Freshman team after scoring three goals and registering two assists in his debut collegiate campaign. Knecht registered a point in each of his first four games, picking up an assist in the opener against CSUB then scoring against Gonzaga, FGCU, and Omaha. Knecht is just the second UVU freshman to register a point in each of their first four games, joining Emojong who did it just last season. Knecht earned a spot in the starting lineup down the home stretch of the season, and has been one of the team's top aggressors in that time, picking up an assist in the regular season finale against Utah Tech.
The Wolverines will open WAC Tournament play on Sunday afternoon in Riverside, Calif., against the GCU Lopes. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
