Junior defender Gustavo Hernandez of Santa Barbara has been named to the 2011 All-Golden State Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer team. The junior from Dos Pueblos High School, has been the lynch pin of the Warrior defense this year.
“Gustavo had a terrific year,” said Westmont head coach Dave Wolf, “especially in a year when there was an awful lot of pressure on our guys playing in the back. He bore the primary responsibility for managing the defense. We started him in a different position at the beginning of the year, but after a few games moved him into the defense. He is probably the toughest guy that we have on the team and probably the best communicator. That is a very important combination when you are talking about guys who play in the defense.”
Also recognized by the conference were Kameron Bechler of Upland and Matthew McNab of Rancho Palos Verdes who were named GSAC Scholar-Athletes. Bechler is a junior environmental biology major while McNab is a junior who is studying physics and engineering.
“We are looking to develop people who are successful both on and off the field,” explained Wolf. “Both Matt and Kameron serve as good role models for incoming players. What their success communicates is that it is possible to be excellent in a couple of tough and demanding areas – athletics and academics. They have both done a great job of that.
“They bring a cerebral component to their lives as athletes. The comments that they make, the questions that they ask, their observations, are intellectual moments on a soccer field. They apply their intellectual prowess to their lives as athletes. Things like asking good rhetorical questions are part of the learning process on the field. Kameron and Matt engage that part of their life.
