LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western fifth-year midfielder Joel Waterman (Aldergrove, B.C.) was named a Canada West First Team All-Star.
The Spartans captain led TWU to a second-place finish in the Pacific Division and, after a quarter-final win over Calgary, a spot in the Canada West semifinals.
Waterman started all 13 games he played in, scoring two goals and adding an assist. Arguably one of the best players in Canada West, Waterman was instrumental in TWU's 8-3-4 record and played a key role in the Spartans balanced attack – one that featured 11 different goal-scorers.
The honour marks the first time Waterman has earned a Canada West all-star.
The Spartans are preparing to play in the Canada West Final Four with a semifinal match against Thompson Rivers set for Friday at 4 p.m. (PT) at UBC.
If the Thunderbirds beat Fraser Valley in the other semifinal, a TWU win over TRU would send the Spartans to both the Canada West gold medal match and the U SPORTS championship tournament (hosted by UBC). If UFV beats UBC, only the winner of the gold medal match will earn a place in the U SPORTS championship tournament, alongside the host Thunderbirds.
2018 CANADA WEST MEN'S SOCCER ALL-STARS - First Team
Position / Name / University / Eligibility / Hometown / Program
GK / Connor James / Alberta / 5 / Edmonton, AB / Business
D / Tammer Byrne / Fraser Valley / 5 / Abbotsford, BC / Kinesiology
D / Noah Cunningham / Alberta / 3 / St. Albert, AB / Education
D / Connor Guilherme / UBC / 3 / Thunder Bay, ON / Science
D / Janko Vong / Alberta / 3 / Coquitlam, BC / Science
D / Gordon Hall / UNBC / 5 / Chilliwack, BC / Forest Ecology & Management
M / Thomas Gardner / UBC / 1 / North Vancouver, BC / Arts
F / Ajeej Sarkaria / Alberta / 3 / Edmonton, AB / Business
F / Gurmaan Jhaj / Fraser Valley / 4 / Aldergrove, BC / Qualifying Studies
F / Easton Ongaro / Alberta / 2 / Edmonton, AB / Arts
F / Joel Waterman / Trinity Western / 5 / Aldergrove, BC / Media & Communication
2018 CANADA WEST MEN'S SOCCER ALL-STARS - Second Team
Position / Name / University / Eligibility / Hometown / Program
GK / Jason Roberts / UBC / 4 / Richmond, BC / Arts
D / Jan Pirretas Glasmacher / Thompson Rivers / 2 / Barcelona, ESP / Business
D / Ivan Borka / Alberta / 5 / Winnipeg, MB / Engineering
D / Riley Pang / UBC / 3 / Richmond, BC / Arts
D / Ryan Doering / Calgary / 5 / Calgary, AB / Science
D / Daniel Harrison / Mount Royal / 3 / Calgary, AB / Arts
F / Caleb Clarke / UBC / 5 / Vancouver, BC / Arts
F / Nikolas Baikas / Saskatchewan / 1 / Saskatoon, SK / Arts & Science
F / Kristian Yli-Hietanen / UBC / 4 / North Vancouver, BC / Arts
F / Sean Einarsson / UBC / 4 / Surrey, BC / Unclassified
F / Moe El Gandour / Mount Royal / 1 / Calgary, AB / Business
NOTE: The all-star teams consist of one goalkeeper, five defending players, and five attacking players.
2018 CANADA WEST MEN'S SOCCER ALL-ROOKIES
Position / Name / University / Hometown / Program
D / Daniel Kaiser / UBC / Calgary, AB / Arts
D / Sahib Sidhu / Fraser Valley / Surrey, BC / Kinesiology
D / Morgan Graham / Alberta / Edmonton, AB / Open Studies
M / Thomas Gardner / UBC / North Vancouver, BC / Arts
M / Nick Fussell / UBC / Surrey, BC / Business
F / Nikolas Baikus / Saskatchewan / Saskatoon, SK / Arts & Science
F / Matteo Ventura / Victoria / Prince Rupert, BC / Humanities
F / Everett Orgnero / MacEwan / Calgary, AB / Arts
F / Moe El Gandour / Mount Royal / Calgary, AB / Business
F / Derek Brust / Calgary / Calgary, AB / Engineering
F / Andrew Peat / Fraser Valley / Coquitlam, BC / Qualifying Studies
NOTE: The all-rookie team consists of the top 11 first-year players, regardless of position.
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