2020-21 All-PacWest Teams

IRVINE, Calif. – After a season in which Academy of Art men's soccer posted a 4-2 record and had the best scoring average in the Pacific West Conference, three Urban Knights have been selected to the 2020-21 All-PacWest Northern California Team including senior forward Adrian Cekala, sophomore midfielder Gilly Miller, and freshman defender Bilal Mihoubi. Miller earns extra recognition, being named the 2020 PacWest Newcomer of the Year. It is the second time in history that ART U has had at least three All-PacWest selections (most: 2015), while it is the first time ever an Urban Knight has received the Newcomer of the Year award. 

"We're delighted to see Adrian, Gilly, and Bilal have been included in the All-PacWest NorCal Team and it's a reward that is fully deserved for all three lads," said ART U Assistant Coach Danny Kirkland. "To see the immediate impact that Bilal and Gilly have had has been pleasing and we are excited to see them throughout their careers at ART U."

Miller earned his dual honors in his first collegiate season by scoring two goals for four points, tied for sixth-most in the PacWest. By the end of the year, he tallied 15 shots, third most in the conference, with eight of those being on goal (fourth most). His first collegiate goal came in the first match of the season, recording six shots during the match, his most in a single-game this season. Defensively, he helped contribute to two shutouts from the midfield. 

"Gilly's quality is undoubted and we are pleased to see him named Newcomer of the Year," Kirkland said. "He's had a great start to his time at ART U and will look to kick on in the fall."

Twice this season named the PacWest NorCal Player of the Week, Cekala would finish the year with career-highs in points (14) and assists (2) while tying his career-high in goals (6) set in 2018, with the goals and points both the second-most in all of the PacWest. His three game-winning goals were the most in the conference, and he totaled 12 shots on goal for an average of 2.00 per game, also the best mark in the conference.

Setting the pace up front as the team's main attacker, he helped ART U to the best team scoring average (2.33 goals per game) and the third most shots (71) for the season. In the final game of the year, he notched a hat trick and one assist, the second-most points (7) in a single game in ART U history and tied for the most in a game in the PacWest this season. The year had effects on the ART U record books, as Cekala now ranks third in both career points (32) and career goals (14). It is the first All-PacWest award in Cekala's career.

"Adrian has been superb and the work he puts in on and off the field fully justifies his recognition on the team," Kirkland said. "We are excited to see him have a big fall and break some records."

Anchoring the back line was Mihoubi, who totaled 549 minutes that tied for the most on the Urban Knights, playing every minute of all six matches in his first collegiate season. A reliable defensive piece, Mihoubi helped contribute to two shutouts as a defender, while keeping the opponent to just one goal in two other matches. All of his work would help ART U to a 1.14 opponent goals against average and a scoring margin of 1.15, and he would also fire three shots (two on goal) towards the net.