KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A school-record total of five Wheaton College men's soccer players were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region II First Team, including Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.), Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.), Leao Nelson (Bar Harbor, Maine), Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) and Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.), it was announced by the United Soccer Coaches.
The previous high for All-Region selections for the Lyons was four, achieved in 2004, 2003 and 2000. The 2003 selections were also all First Team honorees.
All five Wheaton players earn the accolade for the first time.
Doyle was one of the most potent offensive players in the nation, especially as a playmaker, ranking seventh in NCAA Division III with 11 assists. His assist total is the fourth-most in a season in school history and the highest count since Barry Finnerty's school-record mark of 18 in 2003. Doyle boasted the triple crown of offensive stats in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference, leading all players in points with 33, goals with 11 and assists. His total points placed him 40th among the nation's leaders. The Thayer Academy graduate was one of the most dangerous players on the service, setting up goals from the corner flag on a consistent basis, but also showing great vision on the open field as well. The senior seemed to get better with the competition, factoring in all three goals of a 3-3 tie at No. 18 Brandeis University on October 28 with a pair of goals and an assist, while assisting on the lone goal of a 1-0 victory to clinch the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference title at Babson College on October 28. Doyle continued his big-time presence with a goal in each of the first two rounds of the NCAA Championship Tournament, including the game-winning strike off a corner kick in a 1-0 win over No. 14 Middlebury College on November 16. He also assisted on the game-winning tally in a 1-0 triumph over Macalester College in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen on November 22. All told, Doyle notched at least one point in 13 of 23 games – all starts, while factoring into multiple goals on six occasions. His longest stretch during the season without a point was only three contests, while enjoying a four-game stretch from September 6-16 that saw him rack up 12 points on five goals and two assists. In addition he was named the NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week twice during the campaign.
The midfielder transferred to Wheaton prior to the 2024 season and since then has started 38 of 40 games, while netting 14 goals to go with 13 assists to give him 41 points. In addition, the Bay State native also saw action in 12 matches for Division I Stonehill University before becoming a Lyon.
In addition to earning All-Region status, Everett was named NEWMAC First Team All-Conference a few weeks ago. The center midfielder tied for sixth in the conference with four assists to go with three goals to give him 10 points on the season. The senior played both sides of the ball and was always one of the most influential players in every match that he played in with his keen sensibility on the field. The Wooster School product netted a career-high two goals, including the game-winner at Union College on October 14. An Economics major, Everett notched at least one point in five different matches – all Wheaton victories.
For his career, Everett started 69 of 77 matches, while compiling 25 points on four goals and 17 assists.
Nelson was named the NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Year and was one of the most dynamic defenders in the region. He was the backbone of Wheaton's vaunted defense that allowed just 12 goals in 23 matches for a miniscule 0.57 goals against average. The senior was named NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week twice during the season. Nelson netted a pair of goals against Husson and contributed an assist on the lone goal of an important 1-0 victory over Emerson College on October 4. A graduate of Bridgton Academy, his leadership was invaluable for an impressive defensive front for the Lyons.
The Business and Marketing major started 64 of 76 matches during his time in Norton, while scoring six goals and adding a pair of assists for 14 points. He also has two game-winners to his credit.
O'Gara adds First Team All-Region honors to his First Team All-Conference status. He led the NEWMAC with a 0.64 goals against mark, while ranking 21st in the nation. The Economics major has started all 16 contests he appeared in and also placed second among league goalies with a .821 save percentage, which was good for 36th in the nation. Within the conference, the senior was even stingier between the posts, allowing just one goal in 720 minutes in eight conference matches to post a microscopic GAA of 0.125. A graduate of Lower Merion High School, O'Gara recorded a league-leading seven shutouts during the season to rank 36th in NCAA Division III. The Tri-Captain allowed more than one goal in any match just once and registered back-to-back clean sheets three times during the season. O'Gara made six saves in a 1-1 draw at No. 10 Williams College on September 2. His season and career came to an end prematurely when he suffered a concussion in the 74th minute after making six saves in a 3-0 win against Neumann University in the opening round of the NCAA Championship Tournament.
The Keystone State native will graduate as one of the greatest goalies in school history. He started 54 of 56 matches and has the lowest goals against average in program history with a 0.59 mark. O'Gara places second all-time at Wheaton with a .848 save percentage and is third with 24 shutouts, fifth with 4757:58 minutes played and 28 victories and sixth with 173 saves.
Vera earns All-Region status as one of the most dangerous scoring threats in Division III. He finished fourth in the league lead with nine goals and 23 points and third with five assists. The sophomore did most of his damage against conference foes, topping the conference with six goals and 13 points in NEWMAC matches. The forward notched at least one point in 11 different games and strung together a streak of five straight matches with a goal to match the longest goal-scoring streak for a Lyon since 2016. The Oakmont Regional High School graduate earned NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week honors twice and preserved Wheaton's unbeaten record in league play with a goal late in the second half to give the Lyons a 1-1 tie at United States Coast Guard Academy on October 25.
For his career, the Marketing major has started 32 of 40 matches, while netting 11 goals to go with six assists to give him 28 points.
Wheaton finished the season with one of the greatest runs in school annals. The Lyons posted a 17-2-4 record to go with a No. 8 national ranking in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll. Wheaton's season came to an end in the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals with a 2-0 loss at No. 4 St. Olaf College, following three victories in the NCAA Tournament. The Lyons claimed the NEWMAC Regular Season crown with a 7-0-1 record and finished the regular season with an unbeaten mark for the first time in school history. Wheaton earned its 10th NCAA Tournament berth and hosted the first and second rounds in Norton. In addition, the Lyons were led by the NEWMAC Men's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year.
