By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Senior forward Jett Starr (Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) of Willamette University has been chosen First Team All-Northwest Conference for the 2023 men's soccer season and first-year forward Lucas Carballo (Riverside, CA/Bloomington HS) has earned Second Team All-NWC recognition, in voting by the NWC head coach. In addition, six Bearcats were named Honorable Mention All-NWC.

The 2023 All-NWC Men's Soccer Team honored 47 players. The First Team included 12 players, with 12 players on the Second Team and 23 players receiving Honorable Mention. Willamette players named Honorable Mention were Pierluca Carnovale (Sr., GK, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS), Dylan Ray (Fy., D, Torrance, CA/West HS), Kiernan Van Engen (Fy., M/D, Dobbs Ferry, NY/Dobbs Ferry HS), Fernando Bitelli (Sr., F/M, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Roseburg HS, Ore.), Andrew Reed (Jr., M/F, Portland, OR/Franklin HS), and Tiago Palhetas (Fy., M/F, Mississauga, ONT, Canada/Our Lady of Mount Carmel).

Cole Friesen, a sophomore forward at Whitworth University, was selected NWC Offensive Player of the Year. Cole Dobson, a senior from Pacific Lutheran University was chosen NWC Defensive Player of the Year, and first-year defender Alvin Kamau of Pacific Lutheran was named NWC Rookie of the Year. Head Coach John York at PLU was voted NWC Coach of the Year.

Willamette finished the season with an 8-11-1 record, including 8-7-1 for 25 points (4th place) in the NWC. Over the past seven years, the Bearcats have accumulated a 74-33-15 (.668) overall record and a 62-22-10 (.713) conference record, including an NWC co-championship in 2017 and an outright NWC title in 2022.

First Team All-Northwest Conference

Jett Starr (Sr., F) was named First Team All-NWC for the second consecutive season. He topped the Bearcats and was fourth in the NWC with 11 goals and added one assist for a team-leading 23 total points. He scored one goal in each of 11 games during a 14-game span.  He ranked second on the team with 45 total shots and led Willamette with 21 shots on goal. He was 2 for 2 on penalty kicks.

In his career, Starr earned 22 goals and three assists for 47 total points. He took 96 shots and placed 45 of his shots on target. He played in 61 games, including 43 starts for the Bearcats.

"Jett was the most consistent player for us this season, always reliable to be in and around the goal, and had another fantastic year," said Willamette Head Men's Soccer Coach Sam Adelman. "His goal tally was one of the highest in the conference again, and it's a testament to all the work he put into training, and his overall preparation for each opponent. Jett will leave our program with back-to-back First Team honors, and one of the top scoring records in the last 15 years."

Second Team All-Northwest Conference

Lucas Carballo (Fy., F) was the Bearcats' second-leading scorer this year with eight goals and a team-high five assists for 21 total points. He was 2 for 2 on penalty kicks. He ranked first on the team with 46 total shots and was second with 19 shots on goal. He was great at creating shots for himself and also was strong at setting up shots for other Bearcats.

Carballo earned two goals and two assists in a 6-0 victory over George Fox University on Sept. 24. He also scored a pair of goals in a 4-3 win at Whitman College on Oct. 28.

Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference

Pierluca Carnovale (Sr., GK) earned Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition for the second season. He was named Second Team All-NWC in 2021. This year, an injury limited him to 13 games played, but he started all 13 games and provided the Bearcats with 44 saves, while recording one solo shutout and one shared shutout.

He ended his senior season with 4,486 minutes played, 31-15-4 overall record, and a 1.42 career goals against average. He registered 161 career saves. He was credited with 11 solo shutouts and eight shared shutouts at Willamette. In 2021, he set a personal high with 60 saves. He attained a 13-3-3 record in 2022.

"Pierluca has been a staple in the NWC, continuing to make big plays by being a big personality," Adelman said. "Even with his injury holding him out of conference play, he's always going to be in the top three goalies in the conference. If he was healthy the entire time, I'm convinced he would have been a First Team selection. Pier has been incredible for us, and I hope he decides to run it back with us for a fifth year." 

Dylan Ray (So., D) played in 18 games with 13 starts this year as a defender for the Bearcats. In addition to focusing on defense, Ray used his exceptional speed to become a strong attacking option. He was able to cover a great portion of the field.

Ray scored two assists this season in a 4-0 win over Lewis & Clark College on Oct. 15 and during a 4-3 win over Whitman College on Oct. 28. In his career, he has played in 35 games and made 23 stops. He has recorded one goal and four assists.

"This honor has been coming, as Dylan continues to perform in ways that don't always show on the stats sheet, but allow us to play our system effectively," Adelman said. "He's crucial to who we are as a team, and was our only main returner in the backline. I'm happy for Dylan, and he's got more to achieve in his four years with us."

Kiernan Van Engen (Fy., D/M) played in 19 of Willamette's 20 games and earned 13 starts. He recorded one goal and one assist, while taking 13 shots and placing five shots on goal. He was able to provide long passes from the midfield to forwards in the attacking third. He helped lead the defense with two returning starters injured for much of the season.

"One of the most technically sound players in his position, Kiernan unlocked the opponents' defenses with one or two passes, and was hard to miss with his playmaking ability," Adelman commented. "He deserves this honor even as such a young squad member."

Fernando Bitelli (Sr., M/F) excelled on the attack and contributed four goals and two assists this fall, while creating defensive problems for Willamette's opponents. He scored game-winning goals this season in a 3-0 win versus Linfield University on Sept. 13 and in a 2-0 win over Pacific University on Oct. 6.

Bitelli's ball-control skills were important for the Bearcats. He took 49 total shots, including 11 shots on goal, in 2023. During two seasons at WU, he registered six goals and three assists for 15 total points.

"He was easily one of the most exciting players in our conference," Adelman said. "Fernando's creative flair, skill, and aggressive eye for goal, ensured opponents had to scout him closely, and at times, bring multiple players around him to help defend. Any coach has to prepare defensively for a player like Fernando, and in that regard, there wasn't a doubt he was going to earn this honor on the season."

Andrew Reed (Jr., M/F) had an outstanding season for the Bearcats in 2023 while starting in 19 games. He scored four goals on the season and took 13 shots, including nine shots on goal. He also provided strong play on defense, often filling in for injured starters. During his career, Reed has competed in 47 games with 27 starts. He has recorded seven career goals.

"Andrew has continued to show so much progress in his play, and this year, took ownership of our midfield in a big way," Adelman asserted. "He was the only player in the squad that started every match he entered, playing all three roles in our midfield. His consistency and quality helped us in so many ways, and I'm proud of him for earning this All-Conference honor."

Tiago Palhetas (Fy., M/F) showed exceptional skill as a first-year midfielder and forward for the Bearcats. He put pressure on the opponents when Willamette was on the attack, and finished the season with three goals and two assists. He scored two goals and an assist at George Fox on Sept. 24, and also scored a goal in a 4-2 win at Lewis & Clark on Oct. 3. He possessed the confidence to create 41 shots, including 16 shots on goal.