PACWEST RELEASE

IRVINE, Calif.--- The Biola University men's soccer team was represented in the PacWest Conference's preseason awards with two of the three major individual honors and five All-Conference selections. 

The Eagles are bouncing back from a historic 2021 Fall season where they advanced to the NCAA West Regional for the first time in program history and are hungry to continue upon their success. Last season the men's soccer team ended the regular season with a third place conference finish and were voted by the PacWest Conference coaches to repeat their third place placement in the 2022 PacWest Conference Preseason Poll. Above Biola was Point Loma (in second) who had 108 points and four first place votes and rival Azusa Pacific (in first) who had 114 points and the remaining seven first place votes. BU was just seven points behind PLNU and 13 points behind APU.

Izaac Zausch and JD Gunn headlined for the Eagles with individual honors. Zausch, the reigning PacWest Defender of the Year, was named the league's Preseason Defender of the Year for his final season. Last season, Zausch was an integral part of the Eagles' defensive wall who led the team with 1,621 minutes. The Defender also contributed to his team's offensive effort with three goals and an assist in 2021.

Gunn was recognized as the conference's Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. The fifth-year senior has been the Eagles' starting goalkeeper since 2019 and a two-time Second Team All-PacWest selection. Last season he totaled 40 saves, three shutouts, and a 1.58 goals-against average in a record-breaking 2021 season for the Eagles.

Featured on the 2022 Preseason All-Conference team was Gunn, Zausch, Theo Le Calve, Aidan Hill, and newcomer Kristian Colaci. Le Calve was the PacWest's 2021 Newcomer of the Year and a First Team All-Conference pick. Le Calve went on to receive regional recognition for his team-high of six goals. Hill was a 2021 Third Team All-PacWest recipient who grounded the Eagles' midfield with three goals and three assists. Colaci, a junior transfer from Texas A&M International, received nods from the PacWest coaches for being a Division II top 25 scorer with a season total of 12 goals in 2021. Colaci also received regional recognition for his performances last season.

The Eagles are eager to begin the 2022 season and have their home opener on Saturday, August 27th at 7p.m. against Cal State San Marcos at Al Barbour Field. For more game day information check out the men's soccer schedule.