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

Press Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Dec. 2, 2025)- The North Central College men's soccer team has four members honored on the United Soccer Coaches' (USC) All-Regional Team. The Cardinals, in Region VIII, saw Joseph Sargent be named to the first team, Joris Rijnja to the third team, and Aleks Duncevic and Griffin French to the fourth team. The USC All-Region Teams were announced Tuesday morning. 

Sargent ranked top 30 in the nation among Division III competitors in goals scored with 14 and added one assist in 17 games played this season. Of his 14 goals scored, four were game-winning goals, including one in the 1-0 victory over Carthage College in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Quarterfinal. Sargent won the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete award, the CCIW Offensive Player of the Year award, and was named to the All-CCIW First Year. Sargent is the only freshman on the All-Region First Team. 

Rijnja, on the third team, played and started in 18 games for North Central this past season. He scored two goals and added an assist, including a game-winning penalty kick goal to send the Cardinals over North Park University on Oct. 25. Rijnja logged the third most minutes on the team while playing a key role in North Central's defense that saw them allow the third fewest goals in conference play.
His efforts in the 2025 season earned him a CCIW Defensive Player of the Week award (Oct. 28), along with a spot on the All-CCIW Second Team as a defenseman.

Duncevic, on the fourth team, scored the third most points on the Cardinals with 13 by scoring two goals and recorded nine assists in his freshman campaign. Duncevic's nine assists ranked 33rd in the nation among Division III, which propelled him to a spot on the All-CCIW First Team. 

French, on the fourth team, recorded the second most points on the team with 19, behind eight goals and three assists. French's breakout performance came against No. 23-ranked Illinois Institute of Technology, where he recorded two goals in a 2-0 win over the Scarlet Hawks on Sept. 14. In addition to being named CCIW Defensive Player of the Week, French also earned All-CCIW Second Team honors in his freshman season. 

North Central finished the 2025 season with a 9-2-8 record and reached the CCIW Tournament Semifinal. The USC All-America teams will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 4.