Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

Nov. 11, 2021 - Days before shipping up to Northfield, Minn. to begin their journey in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament, the Loras College men's soccer team (13-6-2, 5-2-1 A-R-C) claimed eight American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) All-Conference honorees after finishing the regular season tied for second in the conference standings and bringing home the 2021 A-R-C Tournament title to earn the automatic bid into the national tournament. 

Juan Jose Arias Mondragon, a senior midfielder from Cali, Colombia, earned his first All-Conference honor of his career after a stellar 2021 campaign for the Duhawks. The senior sat tied for the most goals on the team thus far in the season with nine to his name, putting him sixth in the conference in the category. On top of netting nine goals on the year, Arias Mondragon tallied five assists for 23 total points.

Jared Block, a junior defender from Dubuque, Iowa, received his first All-Conference nod in his career wearing the purple and gold after playing a key role at center back for the Duhawks' defense. Equipped with height and a dangerous long throw in, Block was a weapon on both sides of the ball. This year for Loras, the junior tallied three goals and three assists for nine points in 14 games played.

Michael Brandt, a junior defender from Ankeny, Iowa, received All-Conference honors for the second year in a row, keeping opponents in check on the back line. Like Block, Brandt's height worked in the Duhawks advantage offensively, seeing the junior score two goals this year and assist on two goals. 

Connor Fitzpatrick, a senior goalkeeper from Eugene, Ore., earned his first All-Conference award of his career after a stellar season in net for the Duhawks. Fitzpatrick has started in 18 of the Duhawks' 19 games thus far in the season, making 47 saves on the year and turning in six clean sheets with one combined shutout. In just under 1,675 minutes in net, the keeper has only allowed 23 goals on the year for a 1.24 goals allowed average. 

Kevin Kucaba, a senior forward from St. Charles, Ill., received his second-career All-Conference nod after serving as team captain and a leader offensively for Loras this season. With five goals on the season thus far, Kucaba sits at third on the team in the category while adding four assists to his name for 14 total points on the year. Two of Kucaba's five goals this season came in a dominant 3-0 victory over the Simpson College Storm in the A-R-C Tournament Semifinals that helped catapult the Duhawks to their 2021 Tournament Championship title. 

Patrick Clancy, a junior forward from Chicago, Ill., received his second All-Conference award of his career for the Duhawks with another impressive season under his belt. Clancy tied Arias Mondragon for the most goals on the team with nine, scoring all three of the Duhawks' goals in a 3-0 victory over Concordia-Moorhead. Of Clancy's nine goals this year, three were game-winners, tying him with teammate Reed Miklavcic for the second-most in the A-R-C. 

Kyler Donovan, a senior defender from Mount Horeb, Wis., picked up his second All-Conference nod of his career, splitting time this year at center back and up top as an attacker. Donovan tallied his first two-goal performance of his career this season for the Duhawks on Oct. 23 as the Duhawks breezed past the Buena Vista University Beavers in an 8-0 victory. On top of scoring three goals this season, the senior led the team in assists with seven to his name, showing his versatility on both ends of the ball. 

Jose Melo, a senior midfielder from Cali, Colombia, received his first All-Conference award of his career after playing a key role in the middle of the field for the Duhawks. A force both offensively and defensively, Melo tallied a goal and four assists in 16 games played this year to tally six total points. Melo's offensive efforts were highlighted in the 8-0 win over Buena Vista as the senior notched a goal and two assists in the game. 

The Duhawks' postseason continues in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 13 as they take on the North Central College Cardinals. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM on the campus of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.