Pochop named IIAC Offensive MVP, three others recognized
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Garrett Pochop earned Offensive MVP honors to headline four Simpson selections to the 2016 All-Iowa Conference Men's Soccer Team, the league office announced Tuesday. Darius Doswell, Josh Harry and Nick Joslyn were all named to the second team.
Luther's Myles Norville earned Defensive MVP honors while head coach Gary Laidlaw and his Central cohorts were named Coaching Staff of the Year.
A junior midfielder from Pierre, S.D., Pochop becomes just the second conference MVP in program history and first since Fabiano Rivero in 2000. He led the Iowa Conference with 22 goals and 51 points, setting the school record for goals in a season. Pochop was named IIAC Offensive Player of the Week three times throughout the season, adding National Soccer Coaches Association of America Player of the Week honors on Oct. 30 after back-to-back three-goal performances. He had eight multi-goal games -- including two hat tricks -- and connected on five game-winners. At the end of the regular season, Pochop ranked fourth in Division III in goals scored and sixth in total points.
A sophomore forward from Johnston, Iowa, Doswell finished second on the team with 21 points, scoring seven goals to go along with seven assists. Doswell scored two goals in a win over Augustana (Ill.) on Sept. 18 and had three assists in a 4-3 win over Central in the first round of the IIAC Tournament.
A senior defender from Clive, Iowa, Harry landed on the All-IIAC Second Team for a second-straight season. The Storm's top defender, Harry scored one goal and had two assists. He earned IIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 9 after handing out two assists in a 3-0 win over eventual NCAA qualifier Dubuque.
A junior from Baldwin City, Kan., Joslyn had three goals and three assists in his role as a defending midfielder. Joslyn earned IIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 25 after scoring the game-tying goal in the 81st minute of a 3-2 overtime win over Wartburg.
Three of Simpson's all-IIAC picks -- Pochop, Harry and Joslyn -- were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team earlier this season.
The Storm went 12-8-1 overall and 5-3 in the Iowa Conference, finishing in a four-way tie for third in the conference standings. Simpson advanced to the IIAC Tournament Semifinals for the fourth time in six years under head coach Rick Isaacson.
