Nov. 20, 2007
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - San Diego State senior Kraig Chiles (San Diego/Poway HS) headed a group of six Aztecs who were named to the Pac-10 All-Conference team on Tuesday. Chiles earned first-team accolades, while sophomores Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo./Horizon HS) and Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS) were selected to the second team. In addition, sophomore Jamel Wallace (San Diego/Oceanside HS), and freshmen Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif./Monte Vista HS) and Khadim Diouf (Suffield, Conn./Suffield Academy) were honorable mention selections.
Chiles, who had been named all-Pac-10 twice before (second team in 2005, honorable mention in 2006), led the conference in shots (62) and was second with 20 points. In addition, the co-captain finished third in goals (eight) and in a tie for fifth with four assists and two game-winning goals.
This season, Chiles was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on two occasions, and was honored as the College Soccer News National Player of the Week on Oct. 15. He was also named to the Soccer America National Team of the Week (Oct. 16), College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Oct. 15) and the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (Sept. 24 and Oct. 15), and was selected to The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic all-tournament team.
Cardenas, the 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, was named to the second team for the second consecutive season. A defender, Cardenas tallied two goals and two assists for six points while leading the team in minutes played.
A College Soccer News Preseason All-American, Cardenas earned additional national accolades earlier this season when he was named the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week on Sept. 17.
Toft, who played with Cardenas for the Colorado Rush Club team in their pre-college days, joined Cardenas on the second team after tying for third in the Pac-10 with five assists. Toft was also second on the team in shots (26) and tied for fifth with five points.
Toft, who was one of just four Aztecs to play in all 19 games this season, started 17 games, earned Man of the Match honors twice and was named to The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic all-tournament team.
Wallace tied for third on the team with six points, while his three goals were the third-most on the squad. Wallace, one of only two Aztecs to start all 19 games this season, was third on the team with 23 shots. He also saw extensive time in the backline.
Byrns put together one of the finest freshman seasons in Aztec history which was ended prematurely with an injury. In nine starts, Byrns went 6-1-2 with five shutouts He also posted a 0.73 goals against average and an 82.5 save percentage, both which ranked in the top 30 nationally. On the season, Byrns was named to the Soccer America National Team of the Week (Oct. 9), College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Oct. 8), Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (Oct. 8), and was the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Oct. 2.
Diouf had a remarkable first season on The Mesa, recording five goals for 10 points, good enough for second on the squad. Three of his five goals were game-winners, the third-most in the Pac-10. In addition, Diouf led the Aztecs with a 25.0 shot percentage, while his nine shots on goal was tied for third.
San Diego State finished in a tie for second place in the Pac-10 with a 4-4-2 league record, its second consecutive runner-up finish, after being picked fifth in the preseason poll.
2007 Pac-10 Awards
Pac-10 Co-Players of the Year
Ely Allen, Sr., F., Washington
Andrew Jacobson, Sr., MF, California
Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
Bobby Warshaw, MF/F, Stanford
Pac-10 Coach of the Year
Kevin Grimes, California
First Team
Name, Pos., Yr., School
Ely Allen, F, Sr., Washington
Tony Beltran, MF, Jr., UCLA
Scott Bolkan, D, Sr., Stanford
Kraig Chiles, MF, Sr., San Diego State
Stefan Frei, GK, So., California
Andrew Jacobson, MF, Sr., California
George John, MF, Jr., Washington
Jason Leopoldo, MF, Jr., UCLA
Chance Myers, MF, So., UCLA
Luke Sassano, MF/F, Sr., California
Mike Zaher, D, Sr., UCLA
Second Team
Name, Pos., Yr., School
Javier Ayala-Hil, F, Sr., California
Nick Cardenas, D, So., San Diego State
Raphael Cox, MF, Jr., Washington
Kevin Forrest, F, Sr., Washington
John Moore, GK, So., Stanford
Kyle Nakazawa, MF, So., UCLA
Michael Strickland, MF, So., Stanford
Evan Toft, MF, So., San Diego State
Bobby Warshaw, MF/F, Fr., Stanford
Nick Webb, F, Sr., Oregon State
Andrew Wiedman,, F, Fr., California
Honorable Mention (received votes):
Tyler Barry (Jr., D, California); Brad Byrns (Fr., GK, San Diego State); Alex Christensen (Sr., D, Oregon State); Casey Cunningham (So., D, Washington); Khadim Diouf (Fr., F, San Diego State); David Estrada (So., F, UCLA); Greg Folk (Sr., D, UCLA); Brett Gardner (Sr., MF/F, Oregon State); Maxwell Griffin (Jr., F, UCLA); Kyle Hency (Sr., MF/D, Stanford); Ryan Imamura (Sr., MF/D, Stanford); Andrew Kartunen (Sr., GK, Stanford); Daniel Leach (Jr., D, Oregon State); Ellis McLoughlin (Fr., F, Washington); T.J. Novak (Jr., MF/F, Stanford); Brandon Owens (Sr., D, UCLA); Brian Perk (So., GK, UCLA); Brad Rusin (Jr., D, UCLA); Dan Shapiro (Sr., F, Stanford); Jamel Wallace (So., D, San Diego State).