For the first time in the illustrious history of the Barton Community College men's soccer program, Gabriel Arraes and Victor Gonzalez became the first pair of Cougars to earn first team All-America honors granted by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The duo joins fifteen other Cougars with All-America status bringing the program its nineteenth honor overall, becoming the first to earn top honors since 2010, while giving Barton its first pair of national honors since the 2012 season.
With Arraes headlining the offensive end of the field and team captain Gonzalez anchoring the defensive end, the Cougars under third year Head Coach Mike Brown and volunteer assistant coach Humberto Estrada helped lead the 2018 squad to the NJCAA National Championship game for the program's highest ever placing. Dropping the title game 2-1 with four minutes to play in double overtime, the Cougars completed the season 21-2-2 to match the 2010 squad for most victories in program history. Along the way Brown's Cougars secured the program's ninth Jayhawk West crown, the program's sixth Region VI title, and the fourth Plains District title in making the men's soccer's fourth national tournament appearance.
Tops in the region in both scoring and assists, Arraes had a break out sophomore season to earn first team honors on both the conference and region squads. The native of Recife, Brazil, rattled the nets a program third best twenty times to climb into the storied top ten list in the eight spot with twenty-six career goals. Arraes also dished out a team third best nine assists in accumulating forty-nine points for the fifth best single season achievement and a seventh best career point total of sixty-two.
A key ingredient to the Cougars' success was the play and leadership of sophomore defenseman Gonzalez. Voted as the conference Defensive Player of the Year, Gonzalez anchored a stout defensive line that posted thirteen shutouts on the season as the Madrid, Spain, native repeated his first team conference selection while landing on the Region VI's first team as well.
Arraes and Gonzalez become the 5th and 6th first team selections in Barton history and the first since Kevin Ellis' 2010 award. Other first team achievements were Marcelo Carminatti in 2008 and two-time member goalkeeper Craig Ratanamorn.
Complete list of NJCAA All-America honors
Previous Barton NJCAA All-America Selections: (*Two-time Selections)
1st Team
Gabriel Arraes (Forward) – 2018
Marcelo Carminatti (Forward) – 2008
*Kevin Ellis (Defender) – 2010
Victor Gonzalez (Defender) – 2018
*Craig Ratanamorn (Goalkeeper) – 2005 & 2006
2nd Team
Ebu Camara (Forward) – 2013
Bruno Conceicao (Midfielder) – 2005
Trey Davis (Fwd/Midfielder) - 2004
*Kevin Ellis (Forward) – 2009
Renan Sousa (Midfielder) - 2015
3rd Team
Lucas Alves (Forward) – 2016
Gonzalo Gelso (Midfielder) – 2012
Diogo Quirino (Defender) – 2012
Honorable Mention
Omar Ayache (Forward) - 2006
Michael Brewer (Forward) - 2007
Donovan Dowling (Goalkeeper) – 2008
Malik Jobe (Forward) – 2003
Mario Ulloa (Midfielder) – 2002
Chronological order of Barton NJCAA All-America Selections:
2018 - Gabriel Arraes (Forward); Victor Gonzalez (Defender)
2016 - Lucas Alves (Midfielder) – 3rd Team
2015 - Renan Sousa (Midfielder) – 2nd Team
2013 – Soriba "Ebu" Camara (Forward) – 2nd Team
2012 – Gonzalo Gelso (Midfielder) – 3rd Team; Diogo Quirino (Defender) – 3rd Team
2010 – Kevin Ellis (Defender) – 1st Team
2009 – Kevin Ellis (Midfielder) – 2nd Team
2008 – Marcello Carminatti (Forward) – 1st Team; Donovan Dowling (Goalkeeper) – Honorable Mention
2007 – Michael Brewer (Forward) – Honorable Mention
2006 – Craig Ratanamorn (Goalkeeper) – 1st Team; Omar Ayache (Midfielder) – Honorable Mention
2005 – Craig Ratanamorn (Goalkeeper) – 1st Team; Bruno Conceicao (Midfielder) – 2nd Team
2004 – Trey Davis (Midfielder) – 2nd Team
2003 – Malik Jobe (Midfielder) – 2nd Team
2002 – Mario Ulloa (Midfielder) – Honorable Mention