Five Men Soccer Warriors Earn All-GPAC Honors

(courtesy of Midland University Athletics)
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The 2021 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Men’s Soccer All-Conference team has been selected. Midland University was represented by Jared Money, Yannick Pohland, Connor Lambert, Thomas Moulder, and Pietro Musso.
Money, a senior from Perth, Australia, was named to the All-GPAC Second Team. He was a constant in the Warriors’ defense all season, anchoring the backline. As a team, Midland allowed 1.31 goals a game on the season. On the attack, Money scored one goal and assisted on three others. Head coach Josh Nakayama had this to say about Money. “I’m very privileged to have coached Jared. He is an excellent example of the ideal collegiate athlete. Serving as one of our vice-captains, he led us to a return to the GPAC tournament. He works hard on and off the field. The never-say-die mentality he displayed every match was an inspiration to our team. He has left a massive legacy here at Midland.”
Pohland, a junior from Langen, Germany, was an All-GPAC Second Team honoree. He was a key connection in the Warriors’ midfield every game this year. He had a couple of big moments on the offensive end, assisting on two goals. Coach Nakayama honors Pohland when asked about him. “Yannick was our captain this year and led the team back to the GPAC Tournament after missing out last season. He was a rock for us in midfield and shored up our defense later in the season. His work ethic and desire to win came through every time he stepped onto the field. Without a doubt, Yannick is one of the top players in the GPAC.
Lambert, a junior from Burton, England, was an All-GPAC Honorable Mention and was instrumental on defense. Coach Nakayama builds up Lambert for his senior year. “Connor is one of the most technical center-backs on the team. He shut down many of our opponents and kept us safe. He also showed the ability to build up our attack. His passing range and intelligence were very important to our success. As a returning player next year, the expectation will be for him to dominate teams with his skills.”
Moulder, a sophomore from Kent, England, was named an All-GPAC Honorable Mention. He was a key piece for the Warriors this season with three goals and an assist. Moulder was bragged on by Coach Nakayama when told about the award, “When I look for players who are smart, technical, and can dictate a game, Thomas Moulder fits the bill. His vision of the field and scoring ability led us to victory in a few key games this year. He will be an upperclassman next year, and the team will need him to take a bigger role. The future is bright.”
Musso, a freshman from Cueno, Italy, earned All-GPAC Honorable Mention. He led the Warriors in goals scored with four and added an assist on the season. Coach Nakayama looks forward to the coming seasons with Musso. “In his first season in college athletics, Pietro surpassed all expectations. His mentality and willingness to do what the coach asked of him were great. He was our top goal scorer this year. We are excited to see how he develops in the future.”
Midland finished the 2021 season sixth in the conference standings with a 5-6 mark. Overall, they had a record of 8-10.