Six Florida Tech Men’s Soccer Players Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors

recognize the nation's top scholar-athletes

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Six members of the Florida Tech Men’s Soccer team earned a spot on the College Sports Communications Academic All-District team when the organization announced its selections on Tuesday afternoon.

Iker Bastida, Hugo Catherine, Sjur Drechsler, Jacopo Ghezzi, Nokkvi Nokkvason, and Andrea Pisaneschi represent the Panthers on the CSC Academic All-District Team.

The 2023 Academic All-District Men’s Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top scholar-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First–, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early December.

Bastida, a graduate student, is in his first semester with the Panthers and earning his master’s in business administration. He holds a notable 3.70 cumulative grade point average.

A native of Azpeitia, Spain, Bastida posted four shutouts, 40 saves, and a .690 save percentage over 17 games. He posted a career-high six saves during the regular season to hand Barry, the SSC regular-season champions, their only loss in conference play.

Catherine, a senior, is working towards his degree in sports management, holding a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average. He was named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll and Florida Tech Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in his two previous semesters.

On the pitch, he has started all but one game this season, proving to be an important piece for the Panther’s lineup. The midfielder played a key role in moving the ball up the field, providing scoring opportunities for Tech. He’s tallied four assists on the season.

Drechsler, a junior, is working towards his degree in sports management, holding a 3.54 cumulative GPA. He was named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll and Florida Tech Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in his two previous semesters.

Drechsler, a two-time All-SSC First Team selection, anchors the defense. The Panthers allowed just 1.20 goals per game in conference play, which ranked third in the SSC.

Additionally, the Stavanger, Norway native, tallied two goals and two assists, including the go-ahead goal against Palm Beach Atlantic.

Ghezzi, a junior, is majoring in Electrical Engineering while bolstering a 3.91 GPA.

A native of Bergamo, Italy, and a constant in the Florida Tech lineup, Ghezzi has appeared in 17 matches this season, collecting three points on three assists.

Nokkvason, a graduate student, is earning his master’s in business administration, holding a remarkable 3.90 cumulative GPA.

A defender, Nokkvason helped the Panthers post four clean sheets in conference play, playing a key role on the back line. He started 13 of his 14 appearances. The senior out of Gardabaer, Iceland, registered three assists for three points this season.

Pisaneschi, a graduate student, is earning his master’s in Economics while holding a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA.

Another key member of the Panther’s defense, Pisaneschi, has started every game this season except one. He tallied his first career goal in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2-1 win against Lynn.

The Panthers are back in action Thursday, Nov. 30, when they travel to Gaffney, S.C., to take on West Florida in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m.

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS

Similar Stories