Marquette University Athletics
Beto Soto Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
4/14/2021 10:31:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Five Golden Eagles earned all-league honors
A Houston, Texas native, Soto burst onto the scene for the Golden Eagles this season, starting in every game but one and showcasing an elite skillset with plenty of speed and flair. He scored three goals and dished out one assist in the regular season (seven points), tying for the league lead in goals amongst freshmen. Two of Soto's goals were game-winners, including the season-opening win over Loyola Chicago. His other game-winner came at DePaul and he scored his third goal in a 2-1 win at Creighton. He's the first Golden Eagle to win BIG EAST Freshman of the Year since Luka Prpa in 2016.
In addition to Soto's honor, four other Golden Eagles earned all-conference accolades. Junior striker Lukas Sunesson made the first team while Alex Mirsberger earrned a spot on the second team. Soto, midfielder Zyan Andrade and goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood landed on the third team.
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Sunesson made the All-BIG EAST First Team after a breakout season that saw him score a team-best six goals along with one assist. Two of his six goals were game-winners, a mark that ranks him tied for second in the BIG EAST. His 13 points put him in a tie for fourth place in the league while his six goals put him at No. 3 in the BIG EAST. Five of his goals came in conference play and he netted a brace in a 3-1 win at DePaul to give MU its first conference game. This is Sunesson's second career honor from the league after he was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman team in 2018.
Redshirt sophomore defender Alex Mirsberger is the lone MU player to garner Second Team All-BIG EAST accolades. The Brookfield, Wis., native was one of two defenders to start and play in all 10 games. He led the team in minutes played with 957 and also registered one goal and two assists from the back line. His goal was a game-winning header in overtime to defeat DePaul on March 24, a win that helped seal the BIG EAST Midwest Division title for the Golden Eagles.
Midfielder Zyan Andrade transferred in from the University of San Francisco in January of 2020 and quickly made his mark on the program. His athleticism, flair and ability to execute on set pieces helped him land a starting spot and become one of the top midfielders in the BIG EAST. He was named Third Team All-BIG EAST after scoring two goals and dishing out two assists in nine games in 2021. Both of his goals were game-winners in overtime (vs. SLU, Feb. 13; at CU, March 20) and he delivered the free kick on Mirsberger's game-winner against DePaul.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood also made All-BIG EAST Third Team. The Halifax, England native started in nine of the team's 10 games, posting a 7-1-1 record in net. He led the conference in wins (7) while ranking second in saves (41) and save percentage (.872). He placed third in goals against average (0.60) and allowed just six goals all season. He kept five clean sheets and allowed more than one goal in a game just once all season. Twice he was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week and three times he made the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. If the season ended today, he would hold the school record for single-season goals against average (0.60) while ranking second all-time in save percentage (.872).
It's only the second time in program history MU has had five-or-more All-BIG EAST honorees (2013). The Golden Eagles will be back in action tomorrow against No. 12/11 Seton Hall in the BIG EAST tournament semifinals at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Keep up with the Marquette men's soccer program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteSoccer) and Instagram (@MarquetteSoccer) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteSoccer).
BIG EAST Regular Season Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Diego Gutierrez, Creighton, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year
Dante Polvara, Georgetown, So., M
Defensive Player of the Year
Rio Hope-Gund, Georgetown, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year
Giannis Nikopolidis, Georgetown, Jr.
Freshman of Year
Beto Soto, Marquette, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year
Seton Hall
BIG EAST All-Conference Teams
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First Team * |
Second Team |
Third Team * |
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Wilmer Cabrera, Jr., Butler, So., F |
Duncan McGuire, Creighton, R-Fr., F |
Felix Metzler, UConn, Jr., D |
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Diego Gutierrez, Creighton, Sr., F |
Lyam Mackinnon, Villanova, So., F |
Jake Fuderer, DePaul, Jr., M |
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Derek Dodson, Georgetown, Sr., F |
Karsen Henderlong, Xavier, So., F |
Tim Iscra, DePaul, Sr., D |
|
Lukas Sunesson, Marquette, Jr., F |
Jack Haywood, Butler, Jr., M |
Paul Rothrock, Georgetown, Sr., M |
|
Tani Oluwaseyi, St. John's, Jr., F |
Callum Watson, Creighton, Jr., M |
Will Sands, Georgetown, So., M/D |
|
C.J. Tibbling, Seton Hall, Jr., F |
Charles Auguste, Creighton, Jr., M |
Zyan Andrade, Marquette, Jr., M |
|
Jacob Montes, Georgetown, Sr., M |
Sean Zawadzki, Georgetown, Jr., M |
Chandler Hallwood, Marquette, RS-So., GK |
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Dante Polvara, Georgetown, So., M |
Musa Qongo, Creighton, Sr., D |
Beto Soto, Marquette, Fr., F |
|
Paulo Lima, Providence, Jr., M |
Alex Mirsberger, Marquette, RS-So., D |
Gevork Diarbian, Providence, Fr., F |
|
Rhys Myers, Butler, Sr., D |
Ramzi Qawasmy, Providence, Jr., D |
Luis Garcia, Providence, So., M |
|
Rio Hope-Gund, Georgetown, Sr., D |
Andreas Nota, Seton Hall, Sr., GK |
Brandon Knapp, St. John's, Jr., M |
|
Luca Dahn, Seton Hall, Jr., D |
Einar Lye, St. John's, Jr., M |
|
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Giannis Nikopolidis, Georgetown, Jr., GK |
JP Marin, Seton Hall, Jr., M |
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Johannes Pex, Seton Hall, So., D |
