Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

Press Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Dec. 17, 2025)- Joris Rijnja of the North Central College men's soccer team has been named to the United Soccer Coaches' (USC) Scholar All-North/Central Region Third Team, which was announced on Wednesday morning. This marks the 14th time in program history a member of the men's soccer team has been named a USC All-Regional Scholar. 

To be nominated for the Scholar All-Region Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) throughout his career; start more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team; be nominated by an institution that is a current United Soccer Coaches member; be a junior or above in academic standing at the current institution; be in his second year at the current school if he is a transfer student; and submit an official copy of a certified transcript.

Rijnja, an accounting major, played and started all 18 games for the Cardinals this season, logging the third most minutes played on the team and anchoring the North Central defense to the third lowest goals allowed in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin action. He scored two goals and added an assist this season, including a game-winning penalty kick goal over North Park University on Oct. 25. Rijnja's second goal came in the CCIW semifinal against Illinois Wesleyan University. 

For his efforts in the 2025 season, the senior defenseman was named the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28, named to the All-CCIW Second Team, and named to the College Sports Communicator Academic All-Region Team, as well as the USC All-Region Third Team. 

A three-year member of the Cardinals program, Rijnja ends his North Central career with 46 total games played. He played a pivotal role in the Cardinals' success across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, where they were CCIW Regular Season Champions (2023), CCIW Tournament Champions (2024), and made two NCAA Tournament Appearances. 

North Central finished the 2025 season with a 9-2-8 record and reached the CCIW Tournament Semifinal.