The Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) announced its 2025 Men’s Soccer All-Conference Team presented by Under Armour and annual award winners, with La Sierra securing top honors in its first year as a member of the GSAC. The Golden Eagles captured the regular season title with a 12-3-1 overall record and a 10-3 conference mark.

Leading the way was senior midfielder Sean Palena, named the GSAC Player of the Year after anchoring La Sierra’s midfield with 11 goals and six assists for 28 total points. Palena played in 14 matches and recorded four game-winning goals, contributing to an offense that averaged 2.81 goals per game while outscoring opponents 45–22 on the year. His leadership and poise helped the Golden Eagles control tempo throughout their debut GSAC campaign, highlighted by key victories over The Master’s, OUAZ, and Embry-Riddle.

Freshman Armando Carrera of Soka earned GSAC Freshman of the Year honors after an impressive debut season. Carrera started all 15 matches and tallied four goals, three of which were game-winners, while playing a steady two-way role that made him a critical part of Soka’s attack and midfield link-up.

The GSAC Newcomer of the Year award went to La Sierra graduate forward Elias Quintanar Macias, who gave the Golden Eagles an added scoring spark during the conference stretch. Macias totaled eight goals and three assists across 15 contests, including two multi-goal performances and two game-winning tallies, helping La Sierra secure the regular season championship down the stretch.

Golden Eagles head coach David Trevino was named GSAC Coach of the Year, guiding La Sierra to an immediate impact in conference play. Under Trevino’s leadership, the Golden Eagles showcased an attacking style that generated over 100 corner kicks and maintained a +23 goal differential. 

The 2025 All-GSAC First Team featured a talented and balanced lineup from across the league. Arizona Christian led with four selections, including forwards Raul Aranda and Jose Garcia along with defender Jake Underwood and goalkeeper Emiliano Vega. La Sierra followed closely with four of its own—Palena, forwards Vinicius Goncalves and Carlos Leon, and defender Jose Alcala—while Benedictine Mesa and Embry-Riddle each placed multiple players on the squad.

Together, the All-GSAC honorees represent the best of NAIA soccer in the West, combining international flair, veteran experience, and standout newcomers that made 2025 one of the conference’s most competitive seasons yet.

2025 GSAC MEN'S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

POS	PLAYER	SCHOOL	YR	HOMETOWN
F	Raul Aranda	Arizona Christian	JR	Aguascalientes, Mexico
F	Jose Garcia	Arizona Christian	JR	Victoria, Mexico
F	Nitai Bental	Embry-Riddle	JR	Shoham, Israel
F	Vinicius Goncalves	La Sierra	JR	Curitiba, Brazil
F	Carlos Leon	La Sierra	SO	Moreno Valley, Calif.
F	Monty Almaliky	Park Gilbert	JR	Wichita, Kan.
F	Trent Rickard	The Master’s	SO	Valencia, Calif.
MF	Marcos Mora	Arizona Christian	SR	Phoenix, Ariz.
MF	Carlos Barraza	Benedictine Mesa	SR	Phoenix, Ariz.
MF	Ryder Padgett	Benedictine Mesa	JR	Hayward, Calif.
MF	Gergo Varga	Benedictine Mesa	SR	Nyíregyháza, Hungary
MF	Francesco Busini	Embry-Riddle	JR	Rome, Italy
MF	Sean Palena	La Sierra	SR	Perris, Calif.
MF	Armando Carrera	Soka	FR	Lynnwood, Calif.
D	Jake Underwood	Arizona Christian	SR	Phoenix, Ariz.
D	Jack Taylor	Benedictine Mesa	SR	Burntwood, England
D	Ravi Holladay	Embry-Riddle	SR	Chino Valley, Ariz.
D	Jose Alcala	La Sierra	SR	Eastvale, Calif.
D	Landon Mead	La Sierra	SO	Beltsville, Md.
D	Clinton Mawusi	The Master’s	JR	Verona, Italy
GK	Emiliano Vega	Arizona Christian	JR	Mexicali, Mexico
GK	Moritz Ae	Benedictine Mesa	SO	Meltewitz, Germany

Player of the Year:

MF – Sean Palena, La Sierra (SR, Perris, Calif.)

Freshman of the Year:

MF – Armando Carrera, Soka (FR, Lynnwood, Calif.)

Newcomer of the Year:

MF – Elias Quintanar Macias, La Sierra (GR, Homeland, Calif.)

Coach of the Year:

David Trevino, La Sierra University