KANSAS CITY, MO. — Senior Niko Hansen of The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team has been named to the NSCAA All-America Third Team for his outstanding efforts during the 2016 season that helped lead the Lobos to their first ever Conference USA Tournament Championship and a NCAA Second Round appearance.
The honor marks Hansen’s first NSCAA All-American honor and the first for the Lobos since Kyle Venter was named to the second team in 2013. The Lobos now total 13 NSCAA All-Americans as a team. Hansen adds the award to his already impressive list of accolades this season including CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team, NSCAA All-Southeast Region, Conference USA First Team, two tournament Offensive MVP honors and the College Soccer News National Player of the Week on Sept. 19.
Hansen completed the season starting in all 21 matches in which he played for the Lobos as a senior. He tallied 29 points on 13 goals and three assists with his 13 goals ranking 11th in the nation and most among all players in the Conference USA. He also led the league in game-winning goals (7) to rank second in the NCAA.
Hansen is one of just 36 players to be featured on this year’s NSCAA NCAA Division I Men’s All-America Teams, all of which will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the NSCAA All-America Luncheon on January 14, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in conjunction with the 2017 NSCAA Convention.
The senior is one of just two players to be honored from the Conference USA, he is joined by senior Napo Matsoso of Kentucky who was named to the second team. Conference USA has collected 39 NSCAA Men’s All-America honors since the league’s inception.