Gabriel Torres, Michael Agboola Earn 2017 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II All-East Region Honors
KANSAS CITY, MO – The University of the District of Columbia's Gabriel Torres and Michael Agboola were named to the 2017 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II First and Second All-East Region teams, respectively, as announced Tuesday night by the organization.
Torres, who was also selected the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) East Region Player of the Year, was 2nd in the nation (updated through games of November 6th) in total points, 3rd in total goals, tied for 4th in game-winning goals, and tied for 8th in total assists. He finished the season ranked 2nd in UDC program history for points (52), goals (20) and assists (12), and he led the entire East Region with eight game-winning goals.
The Salvador, Brazil native scored at least one goal in 13 of 22 games played this season, including six multi-goal games and one hat trick in a 4-1 win vs. St. Thomas Aquinas College. Torres also had an assist in 11 different games, including two assists in UDC's 2-0 win vs. Wilmington University.
Agboola, also a NCAA Division II CCA All-East Region Second Team selection, anchored a defensive unit that forced six shutout victories and held opponents to one goal or less in 13 of 22 games this season. The London, England native also managed to score three points on one goal and one assist from his defender position.
The imposing, 6-foot-3-inch, 176 lb. defender headed in UDC's first goal of the game in a 2-1 win on the road vs. Nyack on September 9th, and his assist came vs. NYIT on October 4th, as he facilitated the Firebirds' lone goal in a 2-1 loss vs. NYIT.
Torres and Agboola helped UDC finish the 2017 season tied for 2nd place in school history with 15 wins on the season, set a new program record for ECC wins in a season (6), earn the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, and earn UDC's first ever NCAA Tournament win – a 3-0 victory over Southern Connecticut State University in the First Round. They are two of only four UDC student-athletes to ever be honored by this organization formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America , and the first Firebirds to be honored since 2014.