Nov. 16, 2010
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - San Diego State senior captain Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) lead a group of seven who were named to the all-Pac-10 team, the league announced Tuesday afternoon. The seven selections were the second most in the conference.
Reza was chosen as a first-team pick, while senior captain Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal), junior captain Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.) and sophomore Jose Altamirano (San Diego/Southwest HS) each were named to the second team. In addition, redshirt senior Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.), redshirt junior Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)) and freshman Miles Byass (Highland, Calif.) each garnered honorable mention accolades.
Reza led the team in scoring for the third consecutive season with 18 points on six goals and six assists. Reza, who earned second-team honors last year and honorable mention recognition in 2008, also led the squad in goals, shots (70), which also led the Pac-10, shots on goal (25) and penalty kick goals (3). Reza started the final 55 games of his career, including all 19 this season. In league play, the forward had three points on a goal and an assist.
Diouf became the second Aztec (Nick Cardenas, 2006-09) to garner all-Pac-10 recognition four consecutive years after being picked as a second-team selection in 2009 and an honorable mention player in 2007 and 2008. This year, the midfielder had eight points on three goals and two assists. Diouf, who started all 19 contests this season, had two goals for four points in Pac-10 play.
Steres improved on this honorable mention selection from 2009 by recording 10 points on four goals and two assists, despite playing in the back for the majority of the season. Three of his four goals were game-winners, a mark which led the team and tied for second in the Pac-10. In addition, Steres' four tallies came on just 11 attempts (36.4 shot percentage). He had three points (one goal, one assist) in league action.
Altamirano, who was an honorable mention pick as a freshman in 2009, earned second-team accolades this year after registering 11 points on one goal and nine assists. The nine helpers ranked second in the Pac-10 and were the most by an SDSU player since Kenny Fechner had 10 in 2003. Altamirano started all 19 games, scored the game-winning goal at Oregon State on Nov. 5 and took 64 of the team's 85 corner kicks. In conference play, the midfielder tied for the team lead with six points on one goal and four assists.
Byrns made the all-Pac-10 team for the second time in his career (2007) after going 10-7-2 with a 1.18 goals against average this year. He posted a career-high six shutouts and made 63 saves. Over his career, San Diego State was 24-14-8 (.609) when he started in net. Byrns finished his career ranked among the school leaders in saves (fifth, 174), shutouts (fifth, 5) and goals against average (eighth, 1.14). He had 30 saves and a 1.56 GAA in league matches.
A midfielder, Davies garnered honorable mention accolades for the second straight season after recording a career-high seven points on three goals and an assist. Davies, who started 17 games and played in all 19, also set career bests in goals, shots (35), shots on goal (17), game-winning goals (1) and penalty kick goals (1). In league play, Davies had 12 shots, including five on goal.
One of just four freshmen on the 33-player all-Pac-10 team, Byass finished the season as one of the most dangerous scorers in the country. The forward had 10 points on five goals, all over the final five matches of the season. Byass scored the game-winner vs. Stanford, scored two more in a win at Cal State Fullerton, then added solo tallies in each of the team's final two matches (at Washington, vs. UCLA). In league games, Byass had a team-high three goals for six points.
The Aztecs finished the season with a 10-7-2 record and became the first SDSU 10-win team since 1994 (10-9-0).
2010 Pac-10 Player of the Year
A.J. Soares, D, Sr., California
2010 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
Kelyn Rowe, MF, Fr., UCLA
2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year
Kevin Grimes, California
2010 All-Pac-10 Team
First Team
David Bingham, GK, Jr., California
Servando Carrasco, MF, Sr., California
Hector Jimenez, MF, Sr., California
Davis Paul, F, Sr., California
Raymundo Reza, F, Sr., San Diego State
Brent Richards, F, Jr., Washington
Andy Rose, MD/D, Jr., UCLA
Kelyn Rowe, MF, Fr., UCLA
A.J. Soares, D, Sr., California
Matt Van Houten, F, Sr., Washington
Bobby Warshaw, MF/D, Sr., Stanford
Second Team
Jose Altamirano, MF, So., San Diego State
Eder Arreola, F/MF, Jr., UCLA
Victor Chavez, F, Fr., UCLA
Khadim Diouf, MF, Sr., San Diego State
Adam Jahn, F, So., Stanford
Taylor Mueller, D, Sr., Washington
Brian Ramsey, F, Sr., Oregon State
Brian Rowe, GK, RS-Jr., UCLA
Shan Singh, D, Jr., UCLA
Daniel Steres, D, Jr., San Diego State
Ryan Thomas, D/MF, Sr., Stanford
Dominique Yahyavi, MF, Sr., Stanford
Honorable Mention
(SDSU players listed only)
Miles Byass, F, Fr.
Brad Byrns, GK, RS-Sr.
Justin Davies, MF, RS-Jr.