Men's Soccer

Head Coach Cameron Rast on Ballouchy: "Mehdi is really one of the special players in the college game this year. Tactically and technically, he is ahead of all the best in college soccer at this point. I think has the ability to impact a game like few players in college can. When looked at our team two years ago in the College Cup, Mehdi was the one player we were missing. We knew that then. He was on campus, redshirting, at the time. When you speak about players who can win you a national championship, you speak about players like Mehdi Ballouchy. We know that he has a lot of creativity and ability, but maybe some of the things that gets overlooked is the fact that he may work the hardest of any player on our team in terms of his workrate on the field. There is no question that his ability on both sides of the ball are a big factor in why we are in the NCAA Tournament. Mehdi has been a good leader for us and a player we didn't have two years ago"

Decided to forgo his senior year and enter the Major League Soccer SuperDraft ... selected as the second pick overall in the first round by Real Salt Lake ... the highest overall pick ever from Santa Clara and the sixth first round draft selection.

AS A JUNIOR IN 2005: WCC Player of the Year ... first-team NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America ... first-team All-America by Soccer America, Soccer Times and College Soccer News ... named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy ... first-team all-WCC selection ... first-team NSCAA Far West All-Region slection ... first-team National Team of the Season by Top Drawer Soccer ... started 21 of 22 matches at midfield ... did not start the LMU match to provide an opportunity for a deserving senior player to start the match ... named to the 25-person preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List ... selected preseason All-America by Soccer America and College Soccer News ... team co-captain ... hard 25-yard shot led to a UCLA handball and a penalty kick to give SCU a 2-0 first half lead over the then No. 2-Bruins ... registered seven assists on the season ... scored only goal of the year, the game-winner in a 3-2 overtime win over Saint Marys ... named all-tournament at the Maryland adidas Classic.

AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2004: Started all 20 matches in which he appeared... All-WCC First Team honoree... third-team NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America ... paced the team with 15 points in 2004... scored three goals on the season... assisted on a team-high nine Bronco goals... ranked second in the WCC in assists... earned diadora Classic MVP and WCC Player of the Week honors in his first weekend as a Bronco... scored a goal and assisted on the game-winner in SCU's season opening victory over UMass... added another goal against UC Davis to bring his opening weekend total to five points... named to both Soccer America's and College Soccer News' National Teams of the Week after the diadora Classic... named the All-GMU/Comfort Inn Classic Offensive MVP after leading SCU to its second tournament title... also earned All-SCU/adidas Classic honors after tallying two assists in the Bronco's two wins over the weekend... provided the game-winning goal in SCU's 2-0 victory at Stanford on September 24... named the West Coast Conference Player of the Month for September after posting double digit points and four assists in the month... recorded four assists during WCC schedule, including assisting on the game-winner against Loyola Marymount on November 12.

AT CREIGHTON: Played one year at Creighton under head coach Bob Warming... College Soccer News Freshman All-American in 2002... named to Missouri Valley Conference All-Newcomer Team... also First Team NSCAA All-Midwest selection... appeared in 24 matches, starting 20 as a true freshman... scored five goals and tallied four assists... ranked fourth on the team with 14 points on the year... helped lead the Bluejays to the national semifinals and a MVC tournament championship... named to the All-MVC Tournament team... posted first multiple goal game in a NCAA Tournament match against Boston College... scored game-winner against St. John's in first round of the NCAA Tournament... named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week after performance against Boston College.

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2002 graduate of Henry Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif... spent junior season at South High School in Denver, Co... earned all-league honors while at South... played at Yassine High School in Casablanca, Morocco in first two prep seasons... member of the Morocco U17 and U16 National Teams... named first team all league in 1998 and 1999... MVP for club team in Raja, Morocco... played in youth program of the local professional team, Raja Casablanca.

PERSONAL: Born April 6, 1983 in Morocco... parents are Driss and Malika Ballouchy... has an older sister and older brother... father is a former French second division player... enjoys watching soccer and reading poetry... major is finance.

Ballouchy's Career Statistics

Ballouchy's Career Honors
Soccer America All-America First Team 2005
NSCAA/adidas Men's Division I All-America First Team 2005
CSN All-America First Team 2005
NSCAA First Team Far West All-Region 2005
TDS First Team National Team of the Season 2005
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Semifinalist 2005
West Coast Conference Player of the Year (2005)
All-WCC First Team 2005
Maryland/adidas Classic All-Classic Team (9/11/05)
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List 2005
College Soccer News Preseason All-America 2005
All-WCC First Team 2004
West Coast Conference Player of the Month (Sept. 04)
Santa Clara/adidas Classic All-Classic Team (9/18/04)
GMU/Comfort Inn Classic Offensive Most Valuable Player (9/12/04)
diadora Classic Most Valuable Player (9/6/04)
West Coast Conference Player of the Week (9/6/04)
Soccer America's National Team of the Week (9/6/04)
College Soccer News' National Team of the Week (9/6/04)