MINNEAPOLIS -- A school-record five Augsburg University men's soccer players --
Christian Hodges (FY, New Albany, Ohio/Tree of Life Christian School),
Mitchel Munzing (SR, Portland, Ore./Grant HS),
Jeffrey Richter (SR, Portland, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep HS),
Carver Tierney (SR, Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) and
Mizael Harris (SR, Happy Valley, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep HS) -- were named to the United Soccer Coaches Division III All-Region IX Team, it was announced on Tuesday.
Hodges, Munzing, Richter and Tierney were named to the 11-player first team, while Harris was named to the 11-player second team. Eleven-player third and fourth teams were also named for Region IX, which includes schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. The four Auggie first-teamers earned their first All-Region honor, while Harris became the third player in Augsburg men's soccer history to earn All-Region honors three times, having also earned second-team honors in 2023 and 2024. Lionel Vang earned All-Region honors in 2017 (third team), 2018 (first team) and 2019 (first team), while Chad Gilmer earned All-Region first-team honors in 2010, 2011 and 2012. A total of 36 Augsburg men's soccer players have earned United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) All-Region honors since 2006.
All five players also earned
All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in November, with Hodges also being named the MIAC Defensive Player of the Year for the Auggies, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III national tournament, finishing with a school record for victories -- 18-3-3 overall and 7-1-2 in MIAC play under 22nd-year head coach
Greg Holker.
Hodges had one of the best seasons for a goalkeeper in Augsburg history. Playing in all but 23:25 of the team's 2,180 minutes this season, Hodges finished with an 18-3-3 record with a 0.88 goals-against average, 106 saves (.835 save percentage) and 13 shutouts, setting Augsburg single-season school records for goalkeeper wins, shutouts and winning percentage (.813). Overall, his 0.88 GAA is second-best among MIAC goalkeepers, with his .835 save percentage tops and 106 saves tops in the conference. Among NCAA Division III goalkeepers nationally, he played the most minutes of any goalkeeper, with his shutouts tied for second-most and his 106 saves tied for 14th-most.
A dynamic playmaker as a center midfielder, Munzing finished his senior season with 11 goals and nine assists for 31 points, starting all 24 games (1,533 minutes, 63.9 minutes per-game) with six game-winning goals. He claimed a goal or assist in 14 of his 24 games this season, including a two-goal effort in the Auggies' 7-0 win over Northwestern-St. Paul on Sept. 3, and another two-goal effort in Augsburg's first-round playoff victory over Occidental (Calif.) on Nov. 15. In his 72-game career (3,933 minutes, 54.6 minutes per-game), Munzing has scored 32 goals with 27 assists for 91 points, with nine game-winning goals. He finished his career fourth in school history in goals, third in assists and second in total points.
Richter was a strong presence in Augsburg's backfield, as the defense allowed just 22 goals this season, a 0.91 goals against-average that was third-best in the MIAC. Richter started all 24 games this season, playing in 2,038 minutes (84.9 minutes per-game), scoring two goals with two assists for six points on 15 shots and eight shots on-goal. In his 81 career games at Augsburg (5,593 minutes, 69.0 minutes per-game), Richter scored 11 goals with six assists for 28 points on 30 shots on-goal.
A transfer who played last season at Division I Mercyhurst (Pa.) and his first two seasons at Division I St. Thomas, Tierney exploded this season, becoming one of the top scorers in Division III. He set single-season school records with 20 goals (six game-winning goals) and 46 points, adding six assists in starting all 24 games (1,706 minutes, 71.1 minutes per-game). Tierney finished the season tied for the MIAC's lead in goals and second in points, and tied for fourth among NCAA Division III players nationally in total goals and sixth in total points. He had a goal or assist in 14 of his 24 games, with five multi-goal games, including a four-goal effort in the Auggies' 9-0 win over Linfield on Aug. 31 and a three-goal hat trick in the Auggies' 7-0 win over Northwestern-St. Paul on Sept. 3. In his 59 career collegiate games (2,780 minutes, 50.5 minutes per-game), Tierney scored 24 goals with eight assists for 56 points on 58 shots on-goal, with eight game-winning goals.
Harris' collegiate career came to an end with an injury suffered 13 games into the season, but he was still able to compile seven goals and two assists for 16 points, playing in 796 minutes (61.2 minutes per-game). He recorded his second career hat trick with a three-goal effort, on four shots on-goal, in the Auggies' 4-1 win over Saint Mary's on Sept. 20. He had a goal or assist in six of his 13 games played. In his 65-game career (4,148 minutes played, 63.8 minutes per-game), Harris scored 28 goals with 28 assists for 84 points -- seventh in school history in goals, second in assists and fourth in total points. He had eight game-winning goals in his career.
(NOTE: Story includes information taken from All-MIAC men's soccer release.)
