2019 MIAC MEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Midfielder Lionel Vang (SR, Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) became the second Augsburg University player in program history to be named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Year, leading a group of five Auggie men's soccer players that earned conference honors for their performances in the 2019 season, it was announced on Tuesday.

Vang became the first Auggie men's soccer player, and the 15th MIAC men's soccer player, to ever earn four All-MIAC honors in a career, and became the second Auggie, after Chad Gilmer in 2010, to be named MIAC Player of the Year since the award was established in 1984. He was named to the 22-member All-MIAC team, along with defender Daniel Hedstrom (SR, Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS), who earned All-MIAC honors for the second straight year.

Midfielders Peyton Boich (SR, Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) and Nick Zuchowski (SO, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) received All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors, and defender Hsinku Lay (SR, Maplewood, Minn./Roseville HS) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. Boich was an All-MIAC Honorable Mention honoree in 2016. It's the first conference postseason honors for both Zuchowski and Lay.

One of the most versatile and dynamic scorers in Augsburg men's soccer history, Vang had the best year of his career in 2019, finishing with team-highs of 10 goals, seven assists and 27 points, converting four penalty kick goals and claiming three game-winners. Among MIAC players in overall statistics, he finished tied for fifth in goals, tied for sixth in assists and fifth in total points.

He claimed his first collegiate hat trick, and Augsburg's first since 2011, in Augsburg's 4-2 win over Saint John's on Sept. 16. He recorded a goal or assist in 12 of Augsburg's 18 games this season, playing in 1,305 of Augsburg's 1,683 minutes (77.5 percent). His 27 points were tied for eighth-most in a single season in school history, with his 10 goals tied for ninth-most and seven assists tied for fourth-most.

Vang played in 69 games in his four seasons at Augsburg, finishing with 27 goals and 16 assists for 70 points, with eight game-winning goals and seven penalty kicks in seven attempts, playing 4,944 minutes (71.7 minutes per-game). He finished his career fourth in school history in career points, tied for fifth in goals and tied for fifth in assists.

In addition to his four All-MIAC honors, Vang earned United Soccer Coaches Division III All-North Region honors in both 2018 (first team) and 2017 (third team).

Hedstrom continued his strong play as both a defender and a leader for the Auggies, serving as team captain for the second straight year. Playing in 17 games, he was on the field for an incredible 1,516 of the team's 1,591 minutes -- 95.3 percent of the team's action. He scored four goals with two assists for 10 points, with all his goals coming on set pieces, as he used his 6-foot-5 height to full advantage. Hedstrom finished second on the team in goals and tied for second on the team in points.

Hedstrom scored three game-winning goals this season -- in a 3-2 win at Pacific Lutheran on Sept. 1, a 2-1 win over Wisconsin-Superior on Sept. 7 and a 2-1 win at Concordia-Moorhead on Oct. 29, and was a key defender for an Augsburg backfield that helped produce six team shutouts in 2019.

In three seasons at Augsburg after playing his first season (14 games in 2016) at Division II Northern Michigan, Hedstrom finished his 47-game Augsburg career with 12 goals and four assists for 28 points. He played in 3,339 minutes (95.9 percent) of action the last two seasons, earning United Soccer Coaches Division III All-America third-team and All-North Region first-team honors in 2018. 

A marketing major with a 3.66 grade-point average, Hedstrom earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America and Scholar All-North/Central Region honors in 2018, and College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors this season.

Boich provided strong support as a defensive midfielder, starting all 17 games he played, seeing action in 1,185 of 1,591 possible minutes (74.5 percent) this season. He had one assist on the year, coming in the Auggies' 2-1 season-ending win over Hamline on Nov. 2.

Playing in 60 games in his Augsburg career in a variety of roles, Boich finished with seven goals and 10 assists for 24 points, including two game-winning goals. He had a career-best six assists in 2018.

Zuchowski showed his athleticism as a center midfielder, scoring three goals with four assists for 10 points, standing third on the team in goals, second in assists and tied for second in total points. He scored a goal or assist in six games, with a game-winning goal in Augsburg's 2-0 victory over Wisconsin-Platteville on Oct. 5.

He has played in 38 games in his two seasons as an Auggie, and now has nine goals and seven assists for 25 points in his career, including two game-winning goals and a penalty kick goal.

Lay was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team, as part of the conference's sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.

A defender, Lay was a strong part of Augsburg's defense. He started all 17 games he played in 2019, playing in 1,470 of a possible 1,593 minutes (92.3 percent). He scored a goal in Augsburg's 2-1 loss to Luther (Iowa) on Sept. 13.

Playing in 40 games in three seasons in his career, Lay finished with two goals for four points, playing in 3,255 minutes of game action.

Under 16th-year head coach Greg Holker, Augsburg finished 9-6-3 overall, 4-5-1 in MIAC play in 2019. Augsburg has recorded eight or more wins in 12 of the last 14 seasons.