2024 GPAC All-Conference Men’s Soccer Teams
First Team: Iker Casanova; Ferdi Hagen; Martin Herrera.
Second Team: Nolan Fuelberth; Sean Stratman; D’Andre Williams; Ryan Wokutch.
Honorable Mention: Mike Wyvill.
SEWARD, Neb. – After placing as the GPAC runner up in the regular season and postseason, the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team landed eight players on the 2024 GPAC All-Conference teams released by the league office on Monday (Nov. 18). In a major highlight, fifth-year Bulldog Iker Casanova was tabbed the 2024 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the league’s first team along with teammates Ferdi Hagen and Martin Herrera. Second team accolades went to Nolan Fuelberth, Sean Stratman, D’Andre Williams and Ryan Wokutch while Mike Wyvill garnered honorable mention status.
The eight all-conference award winners contributed to a squad that finished the 2024 campaign at 8-3-9 overall. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad fell one win shy of reaching the NAIA national tournament while being edged, 1-0, in the GPAC tournament title game.
A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Casanova is the first Concordia Men’s Soccer standout to be named a GPAC Player of the Year since Bernie Ochoa earned such distinction in 2000. Casanova is the first to be tabbed GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Casanova served as the anchor of a back line that ranked 12th nationally for goals against average (0.79) in 2024. The distinction of player of the year says volumes of Casanova’s impact despite him missing a series of games due to injury. In his extended Bulldog career, Casanova played in 79 games and notched four goals and three assists. Casanova was also named a second team all-conference award winner in 2020 and 2021.
A team captain as just a sophomore, Hagen (Berlin, Germany) continued to star in the midfield. He has been tabbed a First Team All-GPAC player in each of his first two collegiate seasons. In 2024, Hagen played in all 20 games (19 starts) and totaled three goals and two assists. Hagen came through with the equalizer in the GPAC quarterfinal game that saw the Bulldogs advance past Briar Cliff in PK’s. In 35 career collegiate games, Hagen has posted four goals and five assists. He was also a contributor to Concordia’s stellar defensive efforts throughout the season.
In his senior season, Herrera put together a breakout campaign. The Quito, Ecuador, native led the team with 11 goals (third most among GPAC players) while adding three assists. Herrera put away two goals each in wins over Avila University (Mo.), Doane and Midland. Herrera has been named an All-GPAC honoree for the second time in his career (second team in 2022). Over four seasons at Concordia, Herrera played in 68 games and accumulated 18 goals and 11 assists. He was part of the 2022 team that won the GPAC tournament title and qualified for the national tournament.
A strong candidate for first team accolades, Fuelberth has landed on the second team in back-to-back years. The Lincoln Southwest High School alum led all GPAC goalkeepers in lowest goals against average (0.87) while starting 17 of Concordia’s 20 games in 2024. Fuelberth also posted a 7-3-7 record, five shutouts, 54 saves and a .783 save percentage in 1,550 minutes in goal. He earned three GPAC Defensive Player of the Week awards this fall. For his career, Fuelberth played in 28 games and registered 78 saves, a .772 save percentage and eight shutouts.
A Creighton Prep alum, Stratman proved to be an immediate impact player as a freshman. He played in all 20 games (18 starts) on the back line for a squad that surrendered a total of 16 goals (seven shutouts) all season. The Omaha native emerged with the first goal of his college career as part of the GPAC tournament semifinal win over Northwestern.
A senior who played his second season as a Bulldog in 2024, Williams teamed up with the likes of Herrerra and Wokutch as another significant offensive threat. Williams led the team in assists with six and ranked third in goals with four. Over two seasons at Concordia, the Ontario, Canada, native played in 37 games (21 starts) and tallied eight goals and nine assists.
A Paola, Kan., native, Wokutch returned to the program for a fifth year in 2024 and continued to produce as a striker. He tallied the second most goals on the team with six and added a pair of assists. Three of his goals were game winners. A member of the 2022 GPAC tournament title team, Wokutch played in 84 career collegiate games and totaled 24 goals (eighth most in program history) and eight assists. He was also chosen as a Second Team All-GPAC honoree in 2022.
Another standout on the back line, Wyvill started all 20 games in 2024. Wyvill worked along with the likes of Casanova and Stratman in stifling opposing attackers. The Lincoln Pius X High School alum Wyvill stepped into a starting role in 2024 after appearing in 10 games as a freshman in 2023. He was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 24. Wyvill notched three goals on set pieces this fall.