Thorarinsson Top Coach, Josten First Team

Nov. 16, 2005

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University was well represented on the 2005 West Coast Conference men's soccer team, including sophomore forward George Josten on the first team and head coach Einar Thorarinsson earning his third Coach of the Year honor.

Other Bulldogs honored were second-team junior defender Ben Sawyer; sophomore honorable mention goalkeeper Vito Higgins and senior midfielder Mark Stock, and All-Freshman Team selections Chris Hoyd and Scott Meslin. Josten, who hails from Idaho Falls, Idaho, leads the WCC in goals (12) and total points (29), and the closest challengers to him who are still playing in the post-season are six goals and 11 points behind. Josten would become the first Bulldog since Jeff McAllister in 1997 to win both the goals and points title.

Thorarinsson shares this year's Coach of the Year accolade with Erik Visser of regular-season champion University of San Francisco. Thorarinsson, who just completed his 11th season with the Bulldogs, earned back-to-back WCC Coach of the Year honors in 1996-97. After a slow start this season the Bulldogs came back to finish 5-5-2 in the WCC and went into the final match of the season with a chance to win the regular-season title.

Sawyer was a mainstay on the Gonzaga defense that was hit hard by injuries to five midfielders through the early part of fall camp and the season. The product of Spokane's Mead High helped Gonzaga record a 1.52 goals-against-average, the lowest since 2001 when the Bulldogs allowed opponents just 0.85 goals/match.

Stock, who played in just seven matches a year ago after transferring from UNLV, had to pick up the slack at midfielder with the rash of injuries. He started all 20 matches.

Higgins, who sat out last season with a knee injury and a viral condition, returned to the nets this season and posted a 1.39 GAA while starting 16 of his 17 appearances. He was injured late in the season after a collision and did not start the final four matches but did return for the second half in the season finale against USF.

Hoyd and Meslin are two of the young players who hope to continue to build on the rejuvenation of the program started this season. Both players had big late-season goals. Hoyd's first career goal capped a Gonzaga comeback that saw the Zags rally from a 2-0 deficit in the final 21 minutes at the University of San Diego for a 3-2 victory. It was his first of two goals this season. Meslin's first career marker and his lone goal of the season came at Saint Mary's College in a 2-1 overtime win that kept Gonzaga's title hopes alive.

In other WCC honors, Santa Clara University's Mehdi Ballouchy became the fourth Bronco to be named WCC Player of the Year, and the first SCU player since Jeff Stewart in 2001 to take home the yearly award. USF's Rob Valentino became the first Don to earn WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading USF to its second straight conference title, while Saint Mary's scoring sensation Michael Clegg received WCC Freshman of the Year recognition after finishing second in the league with 11 goals in his rookie campaign. Clegg is the second Gael in the last three seasons to be named as the conference's top freshman, following teammate Matt Fitzgerald who took home the honor in 2003.

2005 All-West Coast Conference Men's Soccer Team

First Team
Luis Aguilar, USF, SR, D, La Mirada, CASean Babcock, POR, SR, M, Corvallis, ORMehdi Ballouchy, SCU, JR, M, Casablanca, MoroccoMichael Clegg, SMC, FR, F, Santa Clarita, CACarlos Diaz, SMC, FR, M, Napa, CAHector Guzman, SCU, SR, F, San Jose, Costa RicaGeorge Josten, GON, SO, F, Idaho Falls, IDKevin Meissner, USD, JR, M, San Diego, CALuis Robles, POR, JR, GK, Sierra Vista, AZRob Valentino, USF, SO, D, Cave Creek, AZJunior Ybarra, LMU, JR, M, Santa Barbara, CA

Second Team

Aaron Chandler, USF, JR, F, Riverside, CAMatt Fitzgerald, SMC, JR,  M, Castro Valley, CAMiguel Guante, POR, SR, M, Ft. Huachuca, AZRyan Guy, USD, JR, M/F, Carlsbad, CAKelechi Igwe, SCU, SR, F, Belmont, CAPeter Lowry, SCU, SO,  M, Fair Oaks, CAScott Martin, USD, SR, M/D, San Diego, CAArmando Melendez, LMU, SR,  M, Los Angeles, CABen Sawyer, GON, JR, D, Spokane, WAGeremy Uhl, USF, JR, GK, Cypress, CATommy Von Bromsen, USD, SR, D, Gothenburg, Sweden

Honorable Mention

Mike Bagheri, USF; Bobby Burling, LMU; Jimmy Burling, LMU; Stephen Carlson, LMU; Michael Caso, USD; Alex Christlieb, SMC; Drew Chrostek, POR; Jawaan Delaney, LMU; Keith DeVey, SCU; Trini Gomez, LMU; Jeff Griffin, POR; Vito Higgins, GON; Kevin Long, USF; Brian Mason, SMC; Brandon McDonald, USF; Matt Mejia, LMU; Jide Ogunbiyi, SCU; Sam Reeder, USD; Calle Rendahl, USD; Jeff Scott, SCU; Mark Stock, GON; Kevin Sweeney, SCU

Player of the Year: Mehdi Ballouchy, Santa ClaraFreshman of the Year: Michael Clegg, Saint MarysDefensive Player of the Year: Rob Valentino, San FranciscoCo-Coaches of the Year: Einar Thorarinsson, Gonzaga;                        Erik Visser, San Francisco

All-Freshman Team

Mike Bagheri, USF, M, West Covina, CADrew Chrostek, POR, D, Corvallis, ORMichael Clegg, SMC, F, Santa Clarita, CAJawaan Delaney, LMU, M/D, Long Beach, CABen Dessard, USF, F, Saumur, FranceCarlos Diaz, SMC, M, Napa, CAAlex Elliott, POR, F, Vancouver, B.C.Chris Hoyd, GON, F, Boise, IDScott Meslin, GON, M, San Diego, CAJide Ogunbiyi, SCU, F, Gwynedd, PASam Reeder, USD, D, Lewisville, TX

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Trinity Western (Exh.) on Aug 9, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Warner Pacific (Ore.) (Exh) on Aug 15, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Fordham on Aug 20, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Washington on Aug 23, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Utah Tech on Aug 27, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Northwest on Aug 30, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer at Creighton on Sep 4, 2026 at 5:45 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Loyola Chicago on Sep 7, 2026 at 11 a.m.

Results

Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus LMU on November 15, 2025 , Win , 5, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Soccer at San Diego on November 8, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Saint Mary's on November 1, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Soccer at Pacific on October 25, 2025 , Win , 2, to, 0

Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus #23 Oregon State on October 18, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5

Completed Event: Men's Soccer at Seattle on October 15, 2025 , Tie , 3, to, 3

Completed Event: Men's Soccer at San Francisco on October 10, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Santa Clara on October 4, 2025 , Tie , 0, to, 0

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