Rafael Pereira, Fernando Gutierrez earn NSCAA All-American honors
The awards continue to roll in for Marshalltown Community College men’s soccer sophomores Rafael Pereira and Fernando Gutierrez as the two have been selected to the NSCAA Junior College Division I All-American team.
2016 NSCAA Junior College Division All-American Team
The awards continue to roll in for Marshalltown Community College men's soccer sophomores Rafael Pereira (Lisbon, Portugal/Escola Secundaria Vergilio Ferreira) and Fernando Gutierrez (Ibiza, Spain/I.E.S. Algarb) as the two have been selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Junior College Division I All-American team.
Pereira was selected by the coaches association as the top goalkeeper in the nation after earning NSCAA First-Team All-American honors. Gutierrez was named to the NSCAA Second-Team All-American squad for the second consecutive season.
The two Tigers have guided the program through two of the most successful seasons in school history. Since Pereira and Gutierrez stepped on campus in 2015, the Tigers have posted a record of 33-5-3 for a winning percentage of .841. In both years, the Tigers reached the Region XI Championship game in each season and were ranked in every regular season poll, including a program-best No. 3 rank in 2016.
Pereira, who was a NJCAA First-Team All-American as a freshman and a third-team selection as a sophomore, was tabbed as the top goalie by the NSCAA in 2016. In his final season at MCC, Pereira tied for third in the nation with 10 shutouts while his 15 wins tied for sixth and his 0.71 goals against average ranked eighth. Pereira, an All-Region XI First-Team pick and a four-time Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Player of the Week, finished his career with 33 wins, 20 shutouts, and a 0.56 goals against average.
RAFAEL PEREIRA REPEATS AS NJCAA ALL-AMERICAN
Gutierrez was named a NJCAA and NSCAA Second-Team All-American in 2015. As a sophomore, Gutierrez was one of just two players to repeat as a NSCAA All-American. Gutierrez anchored one of the top defenses in the nation in 2016, holding opponents to just 0.69 goals per game. The Tigers allowed just 24 goals in Gutierrez's 39 career games at MCC. The sophomore also earned All-Region XI First-Team honors for the second consecutive season.
Both players were named to the NSCAA All-East Region First-Team on Thursday afternoon.
FOUR TIGERS TABBED NSCAA ALL-EAST REGION
NINE TIGERS LAND ON ALL-REGION XI TEAMS
For a full list of all-time MCC All-Americans, visit: MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALL-AMERICANS
For a full list of all-time MCC soccer awards, visit: MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOCCER AWARDS