INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Eight members of the Lincoln men's soccer team earned All-GLVC recognition while three of the league's five major awards went to Blue Tigers, the conference office announced on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

Sammy Samuels was named the GLVC Coach of the Year, Felipe Mattos was selected as the GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year and forward Jonathan Nemorden was recognized as the GLVC Freshman of the Year. Mattos and Nemorden were also two of four LU players named to the All-GLVC first team, joining midfielder Jerome Lawel and defender Keynath Walters. Midfielder Junior Grizzelle and defenders Akwasi Agyepong and Alysson Portela Barboza each earned All-GLVC second team accolades. Midfielder Makwe Nkoana, meanwhile, was an All-GLVC third team honoree.

Samuels becomes Lincoln's first-ever GLVC Men's Soccer Coach of the Year winner after leading the Blue Tigers to an undefeated regular season for the second-straight year. LU, which is currently 13-0-4 and ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II poll, won its first GLVC regular season championship in 2026 and has the top seed in the league tournament. Lincoln plays Indianapolis in the GLVC Championship semifinals in Springfield, Mo. on Friday (Nov. 6) at 4:00 p.m. CST.

Mattos, the first Blue Tiger to be named GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year, leads NCAA Division II in save percentage (.897) and is second nationally in goals against average (.389). Mattos has posted six shutouts, the second-most among GLVC keepers and the 29th-most in Division II, and has made 35 saves in 11 starts.

Nemorden, Lincoln's first GLVC Freshman of the Year, has scored six game-winning goals this season, the second-most of any player in the country. His 12 total goals are the second-most in the GLVC and the 15th-most in the nation, and his 26 total points respectively rank third in the league and 20th in NCAA Division II. Nemorden is 10th in the country in shots per match (3.8) and 12th in shots on goal per match (1.9). He is second in the GLVC in both goals scored per match (0.8) and points scored per contest (1.6), ranking 14th and 18th in those categories, respectively, in the nation.

Lawel currently has 16 points, the second-most among the Blue Tigers, as he tallied five goals and six assists. He led the GLVC, and is currently 44th in the nation, in total assists, and two of his goals were game-winners. Walters, Agyepong and Portela Barboza, meanwhile, anchored an LU defense that is currently ranked eighth nationally in fewest goals allowed (.647) and ninth in shutouts (.529). The Blue Tigers have a goal differential of +26 that rates ninth in NCAA Division II.

Grizzelle has 11 points, tallying three goals and five assists. Nkoana, meanwhile, has scored four goals and notched one assist.

The conference also announced on Wednesday that Nicholas Assante is Lincoln's winner of the GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award.

2026 All-GLVC Honors

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR: Jacob Panagos, Jr., MF, Truman State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR: Jan Fulek, Gr., D, Maryville
GOALKEEPER OF YEAR: Felipe Mattos, Jr., Lincoln
FRESHMAN OF YEAR: Jonathan Nemorden, F, Lincoln
COACH OF YEAR: Sammy Samuels, Lincoln

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FIRST TEAM Joey Longo, Sr., MF, UINDY Ryan Walsh, Jr., D, UINDY Jerome Lawel, Fr., MF, LIN Felipe Mattos, Jr., GK, LIN Jonathan Nemorden, Fr., F, LIN Keynath Walters, So., D, LIN Julian Stoecker, Gr., D, MU Fredrik Thulin, So., F, MCK Mike Banasik, Sr., F, S&T  Leo Cann, Jr., F, QU Jacob Panagos, Jr., MF, TSU

SECOND TEAM Ben Barnett, Sr., GK, DU Cameron Chamberlain, R-Sr., D, DU Ignacio Fojo, So., D, DU David Huang, Jr., F, DU Caua Nascimento, Jr., F, DU Akwasi Agyepong, So., D, LIN Alysson Portela Barboza, So., D, LIN Junior Grizzelle, So., MF, LIN Brady Freeman, Jr., F, UMSL Mario Garcia, Jr., MF, UMSL Josh Nwosu, Sr., MF, QU

THIRD TEAM Samuel Tagg, So., MF, DU Robin Lemke Bergseth, So., F, UIS Shayne Abrams, Jr., F, UINDY Rick Lammerts, Jr., GK, UINDY Sam Siegel, Sr., D, UINDY Alejandro Zuniga, Sr., MF, UINDY Makwe Nkoana, Jr., MF, LIN Axton Anom, Sr., MF, MU Jan Fulnek, Gr., D, MU Yayo Mutombo, Sr., F, MU Jake Salazar-Blair, Jr., D, S&T