UCSB soccer players Ismaila Jome, Achille Campion and Peter Schmetz were all named to the NSCAA All-Far West Region team.
Jome, a freshman winger, was named to the First Team as a midfielder. He was the only first-year player to receive top honors. Campion, a senior forward, and Schmetz, a senior center back, were both named to the Second Team.
Ismaila Jome, who played in all 21 games for the Gauchos, earned All-West Region First-Team honors.
“It’s a great thing that three of our players are being recognized for their outstanding seasons,” said UCSB head coach Tim Vom Steeg. “It’s obviously not very common to have a freshman honored like this, and I feel like Peter and Achille being named is a testament to their entire college career, not just this one season.”
Voted the Big West Freshman of the Year, Jome put together one of the most electrifying rookie campaigns in recent program history. The speedster from Banjul, Gambia finished the season with seven assists ? good for third most among conference players ? and a pair of goals, including the game-winner against Sacramento State on Oct. 22. He was the only Gaucho to start in all 21 games.
After scoring six goals in seven appearances last year, Campion continued his goal-scoring ways as a senior, finding the back of the net seven times and accumulating 16 points in just 14 starts. His most memorable scores of the season include a scissor-kick volley off a Jome cross against Yale on Sep. 20 and an overtime penalty kick conversion to give the Gauchos a win over then-No. 4 Cal State Northridge on Oct. 11. UCSB went an undefeated 6-0-1 in games in which Campion found his way onto the scoresheet. The Paris native was named to the All-Big West First Team last month.
Despite injuring his hand in the season opener against Northwestern and playing the rest of the season with a cast, Schmetz was the center back anchor of a back four that produced a goals against average of 0.89, second best in the conference. The 6-6 senior also found an offensive touch this season, scoring three goals, including an 87th minute equalizer at CSUN on Oct. 11. The German national was also named to the All-Big West First Team while being named the College Sports Madness Big West Defender of the Year.
With three honorees, UCSB matched UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge for the most All-Region award recipients among Big West institutions.
