Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, mreaker@noctrl.edu 

2021 United Soccer Coaches' NCAA Division III Men's All-Region Teams

Nov. 29, 2021 - Three North Central College men's soccer players were named to the 2021 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Men's Soccer All-Region Teams as Sophomore Sid Marquardt and Junior Johnny Kraemer earned first-team honors while Freshman Dane Richardson took home second-team accolades. 

The Cardinals have had four individuals earn United Soccer Coaches' All-Region Honors in program history as Nick Aguilar (2nd team in '04, 3rd team in '05), Jon Borzick (3rd team in '16 and '17), Alexis Flores (3rd team in '18, 2nd team in '19) and Spencer Wiese (1st team in '19) were selected for North Central. 

Marquardt finished the season with a 14-2-1 record tallying 63 saves and only giving up nine goals. Marquardt tallied 12 shutouts on the season which leads the country and the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Marquardt is ranked eighth in the country in goals against average (0.461) and save percentage (0.875). On Nov. 6, Marquardt had a career high in saves (7) to secure a 1-0 win in the CCIW Championship game over Wheaton College. Marquardt also earned first-team All-CCIW and was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team. 

Kraemer was ranked second on the team in goals (6) and tallied one assist on the season, he led the team in penalty kicks (5-5). Kraemer led a defense that allowed the fewest goals in program history (10), the most shutouts in a single season (14) and helped the Cardinals earn 18 wins on their way to a CCIW Championship and a bid into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Kraemer earned first-team All-CCIW this season as well. 

Richardson led the Cardinals in goals (7), game winning goals (3), assists (5) and points (19). He led a high powered offense that scored 45 goals this season and averaged 2.14 goals a game. Richardson had a few key goals this season to secure wins for North Central, on Sept. 2, he scored the only goal to secure a 1-0 win over No. 16 Carthage College. He also scored the game winning goal on Sept. 30 to secure a 1-0 victory over Carroll University. Richardson was named first-team All-CCIW and the 2021 CCIW Newcomer of the Year. 

North Central finished the season with a 18-2-1 (6-1-1 CCIW) record earning themselves the No. 2 seed in the CCIW Tournament where they secured their first CCIW Championship in program history and their first bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals ended the year ranked 14th in the National Rankings and 5th in the United Soccer Coaches' Region VIII Rankings. 

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