Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus UNLV on September 26, 2026 at TBA
M Soccer
TBA
vs UNLV
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Tasouris secures WAC award
8/21/2019 9:03:00 AM | Men's Soccer
GCU goalkeeper named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Grand Canyon's returning WAC Tournament MVP, George Tasouris, has been named WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, as well as earning a spot on the Preseason All-WAC Team.
The redshirt sophomore is the first Lopes player to receive the WAC recognition, and the first GCU student-athlete to be named a WAC Preseason Player of the Year since Niki Jackson won the offensive award in 2017.
The Lopes tied for third with Air Force in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 88 points and one first-place vote each. The awards and poll were voted on by the conference's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
Tasouris made an impact in his freshman season, leading the WAC in save percentage (.860) and ranking second in the conference in goals against average (0.78). The Nicosia, Cyprus, native earned a spot on the 2018 All-WAC second team and freshman team, as well as being named the WAC Tournament MVP after breaking the previous tournament record with 22 saves. He led GCU to three shutout victories in the WAC Tournament to win the conference championship and send the Lopes to their first NCAA tournament appearance in GCU's Division I era.
GCU made a jump in the coaches poll this season, rising three spots from their sixth-place preseason ranking in 2018. The Lopes ranked fourth at the end of the 2018 regular season before winning the WAC Tournament.
Seattle U is picked to win the conference, earning five first-place votes. UT Rio Grande Valley's Kyle Edwards joined Tasouris in the preseason awards, having been named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
The Lopes conclude preseason training on Wednesday against Cal Poly Pomona before returning to Phoenix to take on Northern Kentucky on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. in GCU Stadium.
The redshirt sophomore is the first Lopes player to receive the WAC recognition, and the first GCU student-athlete to be named a WAC Preseason Player of the Year since Niki Jackson won the offensive award in 2017.
The Lopes tied for third with Air Force in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 88 points and one first-place vote each. The awards and poll were voted on by the conference's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
Tasouris made an impact in his freshman season, leading the WAC in save percentage (.860) and ranking second in the conference in goals against average (0.78). The Nicosia, Cyprus, native earned a spot on the 2018 All-WAC second team and freshman team, as well as being named the WAC Tournament MVP after breaking the previous tournament record with 22 saves. He led GCU to three shutout victories in the WAC Tournament to win the conference championship and send the Lopes to their first NCAA tournament appearance in GCU's Division I era.
GCU made a jump in the coaches poll this season, rising three spots from their sixth-place preseason ranking in 2018. The Lopes ranked fourth at the end of the 2018 regular season before winning the WAC Tournament.
Seattle U is picked to win the conference, earning five first-place votes. UT Rio Grande Valley's Kyle Edwards joined Tasouris in the preseason awards, having been named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
The Lopes conclude preseason training on Wednesday against Cal Poly Pomona before returning to Phoenix to take on Northern Kentucky on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. in GCU Stadium.
Conference awards |
|
| Award | Player, School |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Kyle Edwards, UT Rio Grande Valley |
| Defensive Player of the Year | George Tasouris, GCU |
Preseason All-WAC Team |
|
| Position | Player, School |
| Forward | William Akio, senior, UT Rio Grande Valley |
| Forward | Kyle Edwards, senior, UT Rio Grande Valley |
| Forward | Marco Gonzalez, junior, UNLV |
| Forward | Declan McGlynn, sophomore, Seattle U |
| Midfielder | Max Allen, junior, San José State |
| Midfielder | Julian Avila-Good, senior, Seattle U |
| Midfielder | Timo Mehlich, senior, UNLV |
| Defender | Tyler Allen, senior, UNLV |
| Defender | Nick Blessing, senior, Air Force |
| Defender | Thomas Mickoshi, senior, Seattle U |
| Goalkeeper | George Tasouris, sophomore, GCU |
Coaches Poll |
|||
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points | |
| 1 |
 |
Seattle U (5) | 112 |
| 2 |
 |
UT Rio Grande Valley (2) | 104 |
| T3 |
 |
Air Force (3) | 88 |
| T3 |
 |
Grand Canyon (1) | 88 |
| 5 |
 |
UNLV | 87 |
| 6 |
 |
San José State | 77 |
| 7 |
 |
Utah Valley | 75 |
| 8 |
 |
California Baptist | 49 |
| 9 |
 |
CSU Bakersfield | 37 |
| T10 |
 |
Houston Baptist | 27 |
| T10 |
 |
Kansas City | 27 |
| 12 |
 |
Incarnate Word | 20 |
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerGCU Baseball vs. Arizona - Griffin Cameron walk-off
Wednesday, April 29
#MicdUp with Dané Vorster of GCU Women's #Tennis
Tuesday, April 28
“We can’t say thank you enough…”
Monday, April 27
Beach Volleyball Gets In
Monday, April 27