By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University athletes Tyler Yates (Sr., M, Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) and Yazan Hishmeh (Sr., F, Ventura, CA/Saint Bonaventure HS) have been selected Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference in men's soccer for the 2015 season. Hishmeh has received All-NWC honors all four years, while Yates earned All-NWC recognition for the second time.
The 2015 All-Northwest Conference Men's Soccer Team included 12 players on the First Team, 12 players on the Second Team, and 10 players on the Honorable Mention list. Forward Karl Muelheims of Whitworth University was chosen NWC Offensive Player of the Year, while Whitworth defender Spencer Wolfe was named NWC Defensive Player of the Year. Head Coach John Yorke from Pacific Lutheran university was chosen NWC Coach of the Year.
Willamette went 4-1-1 in the final six games of the season -- all against NWC opponents -- to improve to 6-11-2 overall, including 5-8-1 in the NWC. The Bearcats tied for fourth place in the NWC standings.
Over the past four years, Yates and Hishmeh have helped the Bearcats build a 39-29-9 (.562) overall record, including a 28-20-8 (.571) record in the NWC. They also helped Willamette finish second in the NWC in 2014 after earning a 13-5-2 overall record and a 10-2-2 NWC mark.
Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference
Tyler Yates (Sr., M) played in all 19 games this season with 18 starts. He recorded three assists to tie for the team lead. He provided two of the assists as Willamette rallied for a 3-2, double-overtime road win against archrival Linfield College in the final game of the year.
In his career, Yates saw action in 74 games, while making 52 starts. He accumulated 10 goals and 13 assists for 33 points. He scored four game-wining goals. He was named First Team All-NWC in 2013, when he contributed five goals and two assists for 12 points.
Yates was a key part of the Willamette offense over the past four years. He took 80 shots during his career and had 36 shots on goal.
Yazan Hishmeh (Sr. F) was named First Team All-NWC in 2014 and was chosen Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2012, 2013 and 2015. This season, he played in 17 games and started 13 games. He scored two goals and three assists for seven total points.
He scored the game's only goal in Willamette's 1-0 victory over Pacific Lutheran in Parkland, Washington, on Oct. 4, 2015. He provided the only assist in a 1-0 win over Southwestern University (Texas) on Sept. 5, 2015.
Hishmeh amassed 31 goals and 14 assists in his career for 76 total points. His top season was 2014, when he put in 13 goals to go along with three assists for 29 points. He scored seven game-wining goals that season.
He took 168 shots in his career and finished with 73 shots on goal and 10 game-winning goals. He played in 71 games with 55 starts for the Bearcats.
