Rogers State Head Men's Soccer Coach Derek Larkin has been named the GAC/MIAA Men's Soccer Coach of the Year and 10 Hillcats have earned All-GAC/MIAA Honors, the league announced on Thursday.
In his 16th season at the helm, Derek Larkin earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Hillcats to a 9-3-6 (7-1-4 GAC/MIAA) record in the 2022 campaign. Under his leadership, RSU has climbed as high as No. 17 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll and No. 12 in the most recent NCAA Division II Regional Rankings. Earning the No. 2-seed in this season's GAC/MIAA Tournament, the Hillcats have not missed the tournament in four seasons since joining the league.
George Robinson, Luke Morgan, Sebastian Hernandez and Declan Viljoen were all named First Team All-MIAA. A native of Maidstone, England, Robinson led the Hillcats with 13 points on the season with four goals and five assists. He currently ranks fifth in the league with two game-winning goals as well as fifth in assists. Morgan, a product of Nottinghamshire, England logged three goals with three assists during the regular season, including both goals in a 2-1 victory over Northeastern State. Broken Arrow, Okla. native, Hernandez started and played in 17 of the 18 games this season and logged two assists as well as helping anchor a Hillcat defense that put together eight clean sheets. Viljoen started in goal for all 18 games with a 9-3-6 record with five shutouts. The Auckland, New Zealand product leads the league with a .853 save percentage (87 saves) and a .867 goals against average.
Marcos Vasallo, Josh Milla and Trindon Turner earned Second Team honors. Vasallo led the Hillcats with six goals on the season, including two-game winners at Harding and Ouachita Baptist. The Madrid, Spain native ranks fourth in goals and sixth in game-winning goals in the league. Milla, a McKinney, Texas product, is second on the team with four goals and tied for the team lead with five assists. He ranks sixth in assists and ninth in points (13) in the league. A native of Edmond, Okla., Trindon Turner made 15 starts in 17 games, scored three goals and led the Hillcat defense to eight shutouts.
Grant King, Michael Lennon and Donal Rahill were named Honorable Mention All-GAC/MIAA. King, a Tulsa, Okla. product, scored three goals with three assists and started in all 18 games. A Congleton, England native, Lennon made 12 starts in 17 games and helped anchor the Hillcat back line and guided them to eight shoutouts. Hailing from Ardee, Ireland, Donal Rahill was also a crucial component of the stout RSU back line making 10 starts in 13 games.
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