2013 All-PacWest Men's Soccer Team

Phoenix, AZ – Following a year that saw Academy of Art University Men's Soccer achieve the most wins in program history and set a series of other records, the names of five Urban Knights were called for the 2013 All-PacWest Conference Men's Soccer Team. Jonmundur Gretarsson, ART U's leading scorer, was on the Third Team among forwards while Thorvaldur "Thobbi" Sveinsson, an important presence in the Academy of Art midfield, also captured Third Team honors. Honorable mention was given to Malcolm McLellan (midfielder), Runar Gudbjartsson (defender), and Joshua Leader (goalkeeper) who were all key contributors to the Knights' success.

"We're really excited to have these guys honored this year," head coach Mike Keller said. "Our team played well this season and these five wouldn't have been honored if it weren't for the efforts up and down the roster. Everyone contributed to these awards."

This year, the PacWest coaches or designated representatives from each school selected 55 student-athletes for All-Conference accolades. The squad consisted of a First Team, Second Team, Third Team, and honorable mention featuring four forwards, four midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper on each listing. Additionally, individual awards were given to a Player, Freshman, Newcomer, Defender, Goalkeeper, and Coach of the Year.

Jonmundur Gretarsson, who finished off his best season to date at ART U, was a focal point of an ART U offense that ranked top three in the PacWest. His 22 points, which came off nine goals and four assists, set the program's single-season record and the nine goals alone were also a new single-season mark as well. He ranked 64th in all of NCAA Division II in points per game (1.38), 65th in the country in goals per game (0.56), and was Top 8 in both total points and total goals in the PacWest.

Perhaps Gretarsson's biggest highlight was when he scored a hat trick in just four minutes and four seconds at Chaminade, leading him to be named PacWest Player of the Week, his second PacWest weekly honor in 2013. One of the senior's two game-winning goals came early on in the season in overtime of a 3-2 victory against California Baptist, the team who would represent the PacWest in the NCAA Tournament this year.

Through his ART U career, Gretarsson has also shined in the classroom, earning the 2012-13 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, and twice making the PacWest Academic All-Conference Team.

Since joining the program, Thorvaldur "Thobbi" Sveinsson has picked up right where his brother, Vilmundur (an All-PacWest Second Team recipient), left off. Often the first one up for a hard-fought header and often showing athleticism few can match, Sveinsson started 13 of his 16 matches played in 2013, ending with one goal and one assist though many times just inches from more as he put six shots on frame.

Among his collection of highlights this season, Sveinsson received a pass from fellow Iceland native Jon "Jay" Eldon and scored the game-tying goal in what would be later finish as a 3-3 tie with Point Loma on Oct. 12. He also assisted one of the six goals scored by Academy of Art at Chaminade on Oct. 26.

As one of just three Urban Knights to play in all 18 matches in 2013, Malcolm McLellan provided important consistency as he started the most games for ART U. Settling in as Academy of Art's left back as the season progressed, McLellan was played major minutes in all four of the Knights' shutouts as well as the nine matches in which just one goal was allowed by the opponent. The transfer from Division I Temple University would end up with the third-most minutes (1,602) by an Urban Knight in the program's single-season history to date.

Coming up to play a role in the offense at times, McLellan assisted ART U's lone goal in a 1-1 tie at Holy Names on Oct. 19. He set up fellow first-year Knight William "Willy" Velasco Villa on that play and clearly demonstrated his dedication to help the team in whatever way possible this year.

A workhorse and vocal leader on the ART U back line, Runar Gudbjartsson posted his second consecutive season of 16 games played, starting 15 in 2013. Like McLellan, Gudbjartsson was a key factor keeping the defense strong and alert in the four Academy of Art shutouts and nine matches where the opposition scored a single time.

When it came time to make a play on the offensive side, Gudbjartsson was happy to oblige. He showed strategic use of his 6-0 frame, heading in the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory over Dominican on Sept. 30 and later striking once again for a header as the second goal in the 3-3 tie with Point Loma on Oct. 12.

Joshua Leader, a transfer from Tennessee Wesleyan College, proved his worth in 2013 by serving as one of the top goalies in the PacWest. By the season's end, Leader ranked second in the PacWest in goals against average (1.04), fourth in save percentage (.750), and 10th in shutouts (2). His goals against average was the program's new single-season record and his save percentage was the highest in program history since Jose Herrera's 2008 season which served as the debut of Academy of Art Men's Soccer.

His lone PacWest Weekly honor came after Leader played more than 380 minutes on ART U's roadtrip to Hawaii, halted 16 of 18 shots on goal, and added back-to-back shutouts of Chaminade and BYU-Hawaii to start the swing. All in all, Leader had 16 saves on the Hawaiian Islands and his consecutive shutouts were something only ever done in Hawaii by Ian Sutherland in 2010.

This is the most individual accolades for a single year in program history. It is Gretarsson and Sveinsson's first career All-PacWest Third Team honor as well as the first honorable mention for McLellan, Gudbjartsson, and Leader.

"We're excited for so many guys to receive awards who are returning," Coach Keller said. "We are using this as a means for moving this program forward in the coming years."

Full release on the PacWest website here!