Lombard Native Ricely Earns All-Conference Accolades

2014 Nov 18

Kyle Ricely, a occupational safety major and member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's soccer team, was one of five players named All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the league announced Tuesday, Nov. 18.

In addition, senior midfielder John Gottwald was selected WIAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete, while head coach Tony Guinn was tabbed WIAC Coach of the Year.

Junior forward Sam Novak joined Gottwald on the first team, while senior defender Ryan Reid, senior goalkeeper Josh Rohde and junior midfielder Kyle Ricely garnered second team honors.

The Warhawks reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament and finished 14-5-4 for the season, which is tied for the third-most wins in one season in program history. UW-Whitewater finished unbeaten in conference play at 2-0-2 during the regular season and reached the WIAC Tournament championship match.

Gottwald, who ends his career as a two-time All-WIAC selection, finished the 2014 campaign with seven goals and 11 assists for 25 points. He led the team and conference and finished with the third-highest mark in program history for one season in assists. Gottwald also ranked among the league's top five in goals and points.

A two-time WIAC Offensive Player of the Week in 2014, Gottwald also earned Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete accolades, becoming the first player to do so in program history. He carries a 3.65 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale, and is majoring in chemistry with minors in biology and mathematics. Gottwald was a first team Capital One Academic All-District pick by the College Sports Information Directors of America earlier this fall, and is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Gottwald concludes his career tied for seventh with 16 assists.

Novak, a second-team pick in 2012 and 2013, finished third on the team with 15 points, including four goals and seven assists, this season. He ranked among the league's top 10 in all three categories.

Novak earned WIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after posting the game-winning goal in the Warhawks' 1-0 double overtime victory over Chicago on Oct. 25 at Fiskum Field. He also posted one goal and one assist in UW-Whitewater's 3-1 triumph over Carroll in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last week.

Reid led UW-Whitewater with nine goals, including three game-winners, and finished second in the team with 18 points. The three-time all-conference selection was named WIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice during the season.

Reid recorded a pair of goals in the Warhawks' NCAA Tournament win over Carroll.

Rohde started in 17 of the 19 matches he appeared in, posting an 11-3-3 record with a league-best 6.2 shutouts. He also paced the conference in save percentage (.815) and tallied a 0.95 goals against average and 66 saves.

Ricely appeared in all 23 of the team's matches and made 17 starts in 2014. He registered his first career assist on Reid's game-winning goal in the WIAC Tournament semifinals against UW-Superior on Nov. 5.

In his third season at the helm of the program, Guinn led the Warhawks to their third consecutive winning season and the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. He is the third UW-Whitewater coach to receive WIAC Coach of the Year in the six years of the award's existence.

Senior midfielder Michael Montanye is the Warhawks' representative on the league's All-Sportsmanship Team for the second time in his career.