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BAY CITY, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University head coach Cale Wassermann was named 2012 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 'Coach of the Year', while senior forward Zach Myers was named 'Offensive Player of the Year' today (Nov. 2) by the conference offices. Seven Cardinals total were named to All-GLIAC Teams.
Cale Wassermann is in his third season as head coach of the men's soccer program at Saginaw Valley State. In that time he has led the Cardinals to an impressive 34-13-9 record and back-to-back GLIAC Championships. He also helped guide his alma mater to its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in 2011. This season, the nationally ranked Cardinals have set a new school standard with 13 wins, shutting out their final six GLIAC opponents to claim their second GLIAC Championship. Wassermann becomes just the fourth coach in GLIAC history to win the 'Coach of the Year' honors in consecutive years.
Zach Myers, a senior captain, started all 18 matches this season for the SVSU men's soccer program, while posting a GLIAC best 13 goals with two assists after switching positions from defense to forward this season. Myers scored two or more goals in five matches this season as the Cardinals recorded a 13-2-3 record this season. He becomes the first men's soccer player in GLIAC history to win both 'Offensive Player of the Year' and 'Defensive Player of the Year' honors in their career.
Six other Cardinals joined Myers on All-GLIAC teams. Lachlan Savage (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth Salem HS) and Jason Wise (Troy, Mich.) were selected to the first team, while forward Zach Walega (Saline, Mich.) and defenders Taylor Clarke (Cary, Ill. / Cary-Grove HS) and Michael Lamb (Sunderland, England/Sandhill View) garnered second team honors. Sophmore midfielder Zach Vasold (Freeland, Mich.) was also named to the honorable mention team.
Savage is currently second on the team with 10 goals scored and tied for the team lead with four game winners. Wise, a senior goalkeeper, has started all 18 contests in net this season for the Cardinals. He has allowed a GLIAC low 14 goals this season (for keepers with 10 or more starts) and has recorded a conference high 10 shutouts. Walega has scored three goals this season and assisted on four others. Clarke and Lamb anchor a backline for the Cardinals that has given up the fewest goals in the conference and become one of the top defensive units in region. Lamb has scored a goal and assisted on three others this season, while Clarke has recorded two goals. Vasold started all 18 contests this season as a midfielder and has assisted on three goals.
The Cardinals are currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Midwest Soccer Regionals and No. 18 in the nation in the coaches poll. They will host the 2012 GLIAC Men's Soccer Championship on Friday (Nov. 2) and Sunday (Nov. 4) at the SVSU Soccer Complex on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University.