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Four Vikings Claim HL Postseason Honors

Four Vikings Claim HL Postseason Honors

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Four members of the Cleveland State University men's soccer team earned postseason honors from the Horizon League in an announcement made by the League office Monday afternoon.

Sophomore Vlad Jandric, senior co-captain Alec Nagucki and junior Noah Pio all were named All-League Second Team at the midfield position. Defender Thomas M'Barek earned a spot of the League's All-Freshmen Team.

It is the third consecutive season in which at least three Vikings were honored on the First or Second Teams. CSU is one of three League schools that can make this claim.

After being featured in just two of the first four matches, Jandric worked his way into the lineup and has appeared in each of the past 13 contests, including starting 11 of the past 12 matches. In his six starts in an advanced midfield role, Jandric has scored four goals, including game-winning strikes in League wins over Oakland and Belmont. While his scoring helped the Vikings in the early portion of the League season, his versatility has been crucial to CSU lately. He has started four matches as a central defender and one as a holding midfielder, moving seamlessly from position to position while maintaining quality play.

Nagucki claims his second straight All-League accolade and continues to be an ironman for the CSU squad. For the fourth consecutive season, he appeared in every match, starting 15 of the 17 matches for Cleveland State this season. Nagucki served exclusively as a defensive midfielder, as his technical ability is often key in helping CSU win back or develop position. He serves a key link in moving the ball from the back line up to the attacking midfielders and forwards. Nagucki also contributed to a couple important goals for CSU this season, scoring a tying goal in a come-from-behind League win and assisting on a winning goal that clinched a playoff spot for the Vikings.

Pio has led the Vikings in scoring this season while appearing in every match. He is tied for the team lead in goals (4) and tops the squad in assists (5) and points (13). In Horizon League play, Pio is third in assists (4) and is also among the top 10 in the League in goals and points. Pio finished the season in strong form, posting at least a point in six of the final 10 matches. He scored or assisted on each of CSU's final seven goals against League opponents. He led the team in overall shots (43) and shots in League play (27) this season.

M'Barek has started 13 matches in central defense for Cleveland State this season and has been one of, if not the, top defender on the squad this season. His ability to navigate tight spaces and settle potentially dangerous situations have proved valuable for the Vikings in 2017. M'Barek also provided an assist on the game-winning goal in a key League win at Oakland. He tied for the most votes among All-Freshman Team honorees.

Jandric and Pio claimed postseason honors from the League for the first time while Nagucki was recognized for the third time, counting his All-Freshman accolade.

M'Barek's selection makes this the 10th consecutive season in which a Viking has been named to the All-Freshman (or All-Newcomer) Team. This is the longest such active streak in the League.

Cleveland State plays the opening match of the Horizon League Tournament Monday evening as it travels to fourth-seeded Wright State at 7:00 p.m.