GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced its men's soccer Division All-Americans on Monday as Mid-America Christian placed three on the esteemed list.
For the second straight year, junior forward Rodrigo Albuquerque garnered All-America First Team honors and was joined by senior defender Dejue Johnson on nation's top team. Sophomore goalkeeper Sven van den Oever was also selected to the All-America Second Team.
Leading the Evangels offense, Albuquerque has so far netted 17 goals, 10 of which were game-winners and has dished out 10 assists for a total of 44 points. The 17 goals and 44 points ranks second in all of the NCCAA while his 10 game-winning goals leads the entire nation.
Johnson has been the spearhead of an Evangels defense that has been downright elite in the split 2020-21 campaign. The MACU center-back is leading a team that is allowing just 0.78 goals per game, the third-lowest defensive scoring average in the NCCAA and has pitched 10 shutouts while leading the team in minutes with 1882.
Arriving on the team in the spring, van den Oever has provided a spark for the Evangels defensively, allowing just 0.71 goals per game and has notched 17 saves and five shutouts while posting an 8-2-1 record. Van den Oever came up clutch in the shootout of MACU's victory over Central Christian in the SAC Championship game, recording a pair of saves to win 3-0 in PK's and secure the team's second ever SAC Tournament Championship.
The MACU men's soccer team will be looking to keep its season going as the Evangels will be competing in their first match at the NAIA National Championships in Columbia County, Ga. tomorrow. The seventh-seeded Evangels open the tourney against 10th-seeded St. Thomas (Fla.) at 12:30 p.m. CST.
