Lakers Place Four Standouts On All-CCAC Teams After Strong Season

CHICAGO – Roosevelt placed four players on the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference's all-conference team, the league announced Monday.

The Lakers had two players earn first-team honors in senior midfielder Alan Rubio and junior defender Gabriel Koenig. They also had a pair earn second-team distinction from the conference with senior defender Otitolouwa Ojo and freshman midfielder Noah Vasilev. Only one team had more players on the all-conference teams than Roosevelt after it placed third in the regular-season standings and finished as the CCAC Tournament runner-up.

Rubio becomes just the second player in program history to be a two-time first-team honoree after following up on his first-team distinction last season. The Rockford native tied the team lead in goals with four and also was a critical member of the Lakers on both ends of the field. His dominance in possession helped connect the defense and offense while his tenacious defending help Roosevelt be among the best defensive teams in the league.

"Alan had another fantastic year," Roosevelt head coach Paddy Hoepp said. "He has been one of the most complete midfielders in this conference. His work ethic and commitment to this team has been outstanding. I am really happy for him and seeing how he has matured as a leader over the years."

Koenig was one of just four players to play in every game for the Lakers this season as the stalwart of the back line. The German national recorded an assist this season while mainly focusing on being the last man on defense in front of the Lakers' goal. Under Koenig's leadership, the Lakers allowed just nine goals in 10 conference matches and finished second in the league with 20 goals against overall.

"Gabe stepped into a new role as a center back for us this season, and he fulfilled this role extremely well and has developed into one of the best defenders in the conference," Hoepp said. "I am super happy for him, and this recognition is more than deserved."   

Another critical member of the Lakers' standout defense was Ojo, who returned from injury early in the season to start 12 of the final 13 games of the season. In addition to his pace on the wing, Ojo was also one of the Lakers' two captains along with Rubio and a vocal contributor on and off the field. Roosevelt conceded just 10 goals in the 12 games Ojo started this season and were 8-3-1 in those matches.

"Lolu has been a main contributor for our team and a big reason why we have conceded the least amount of goal in the conference this season," Hoepp said. "His work ethic, combined with his leadership on the field has helped this team elevate to another level. I am extremely proud of him."

Vasilev is the first Roosevelt freshman in four years to earn all-conference honors after teammate Jose Rivera's second-team nod in 2019. The first-year player out of Germany was another full-time player for the Lakers, starting all 18 games this season and rarely leaving the field. He started his career off with a bang with a 25-yard rocket in the season-opening tie with Huntington and also added a goal later in the season against St. Francis.

"Noah played almost every single minute for us as a freshman this season as the anchor between our back line and midfield," Hoepp said. "With his physical presence, he has brought a lot of balance into our midfield and played with a lot of maturity, considering he was a freshman. It will be exciting continue watching him develop over the next few years. He has a bright college career ahead of him."