SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Three Santa Clara men's soccer players were recognized with All-West Coast Conference honors, the conference office announced on Tuesday.  

 

Javier Ruiz Duran was named first team with Emil Christensen being named second team.  Damani Osei was all-freshman.

 

Ruiz Duran, a junior co-captain, garnered all-conference honors for the third straight season following his second team recognition last year and his all-freshman campaign two seasons ago.  He is one of only three underclassmen to be named to the first team this season.  

 

The midfielder from Barcelona, Spain, tied for the team-lead in goals (4) and points (8) with three of the goals being game-winners.  The left-footer played in all 17 matches and had the game-winners against San Jose State (Sept. 6), CSUN (Oct. 5) and San Francisco (Oct. 30).  Ruiz Duran was fifth in the conference in shots with 16.  

 

Christensen, a sophomore central defender, was the leader on the backline composed of two other sophomores and a freshman.  The co-captain was named All-WCC Player of the Week on Sept. 30 for spearheading the Santa Clara defense which posted back-to-back shutout wins on the road at Lipscomb and at Evansville.  

 

The Nr. Snede, Denmark native logged a team-high 1,560 minutes playing in all but 10 minutes.  The Broncos posted five shutouts on the season, including one during WCC play, and allowed less than a goal a game.  

 

Freshman center back Osei starred alongside Christensen on the backline where he was inserted into the starting lineup six matches into the season against Utah Valley and remained a starter the rest of the season including in all seven WCC matches.  

 

Osei, who has extensive international experience having played on the Jamaica U-17 and U-20 National Teams, played in 16 of the 17 Bronco matches and helped solidify the defense that recorded three straight shutouts in the middle of the season and five overall.   

 

Conference champion Saint Mary's and runner-up LMU, both NCAA Tournament bound, collected most of the major awards.  San Diego's Miguel Berry and Saint Mary's Anders Engebretsen were named co-WCC Players of the Year.  Filippo Zattarin of Saint Mary's was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year and fellow Gael, Remi Prieur, was named Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight season.  LMU's Noel Caliskan was named Freshman of the Year.  Saint Mary's head coach Adam Cooper, who led the Gaels to an undefeated conference record and just one loss overall was named Coach of the Year for the second straight season.