Five Timberwolves Named To NSCAA All-Midwest Region Men's Soccer Teams
COMPLETE 2015 NSCAA ALL-REGION TEAMS
KANSAS CITY, MO. – The 2015 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division II Men's All-Midwest Region teams were released on Wednesday (December 2). The Northwood University Timberwolves lead the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with five honorees. Senior defender Michael Ankoviak (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Northern) and senior midfielder Keaton Levock (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Chippewa Valley / Niagara) were named first team, senior midfielder Jack Smith (Milnthorpe, England) was selected second team and senior goalkeeper Johannes Sterobo (Odense, Denmark / Tornbjerg) and senior defender Joey Censoni (Rochester, Mich. / Adams) each were named third team.
After being named First Team All-Midwest Region and All-America Honorable Mention a year ago, Ankoviak has earned multiple post season honors again this season. He was named First Team All-GLIAC on the GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship team, in addition to being on the D2CCA All-Midwest Region First Team. He was Northwood's best defender on a team that went to the Round of 16 and allowed just 12 goals throughout the entire season, finishing 17-2-1. Ankoviak registered five goals, including one game-winner, despite being a defender and started all 20 matches this season.
Levock also earned First Team All-Midwest Region honors after last season and was named First Team on both All-GLIAC and D2CCA All-Midwest Region again this year. He led the team in points (31) with 12 goals and seven assists. Levock finished 4th in the GLIAC in goals and 3rd in points. He was instrumental as Northwood's best attacking midfielder on a team that scored 62 goals in the season. Levock finished his career having started all 54 games.
Smith earned second team All-GLIAC honors after netting three goals this season, including two game-winning. Smith registered seven assists for a total of 13 points, finishing his career with a total of 30 points. Smith was a key leader on the team this season in the midfield.
A four-year starter for Northwood, Sterobo is the greatest goalkeeper in the history of NU soccer. He holds eight school records at Northwood: wins in a season (17), wins in a career (45), goals against in a season (0.56) goals against in a career (0.96), save percentage in a season (.855), save percentage in a career (.765), shutouts in a season (12) and shutouts in a career (29). Sterobo was named the GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year, First Team All-GLIAC and D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team after leading the conference in goals against and wins. He was also named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year with a 3.99 G.P.A. in International Business. His 29 career shutouts rank him second among active goalkeepers in Division II.
Despite missing the final six games of the season, Censoni was also dubbed a First Team All-GLIAC member. He will go down as one of the best Timberwolves defenders in school history. His size, physical ability and leadership were key in NU's registering a total of 12 shutouts on the year.
The Timberwolves finished the season as the 2015 GLIAC Champions and won back-to-back GLIAC Tournament Championships. NU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history as the No. 2 ranked team in the Midwest Region to host the first and second round matches. After starting the season ranking #25, NU was ranked as high as #8 in the country throughout the season and finished in the Round of 16 with a 17-2-1 record.