FHSU Athletics
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Following an unbeaten regular season conference record for the second-straight season, Fort Hays State reeled in several honors on the 2026 All-GAC/MIAA Men's Soccer Team. Len Valkema was named the Offensive Player of the Year, Juan Linares was named Midfielder of the Year, and Alex Nichols was named the Coach of the Year for a second-straight season. The Tigers had nine all-conference selections overall and 11 individuals receive the GAC Academic Honor Roll distinction.
Earning all-conference honors for the Tigers were Len Valkema, Juan Linares, Payton Roehrich, Mario Leal Vales, Tom Vincent, Francisco Degiorgi, JJ Espinosa, Francesco Valenti, and Julius Petersson.
GAC Academic Honor Roll recognition for FHSU went to Jose Barraza, Daniel Granado, Gregoire Henri, Tiernan Nicewander, Ellis Oksman, Shuto Sano, Santion Scavone, Cayetano Simon Diaz, Francesco Valenti, Tom Vincent, and Oliver Wright. To earn the Academic Honor Roll distinction, student-athletes must have a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better in order to qualify for the all-academic team. First-year freshmen are not included.
Fort Hays State claimed the GAC/MIAA Offensive Player of the Year honor for a second-straight year with Valkema selected for the distinction by GAC/MIAA coaches. Fort Hays State has been home to the GAC/MIAA Offensive Player of the Year five times now going back to 2019. Valkema led the conference in points per match during the regular season (1.38) and he enters the postseason tied with teammate Juan Linares for the conference lead in goals (9). He was the only unanimous all-conference first team selection by the coaches and has 22 points for the season with four assists added to his nine goals.
Linares claimed the Midfielder of the Year honor, also giving FHSU the player with that distinction for a second-straight year. Linares goes into the postseason leading the GAC in points with 24, producing nine goals and six assists for the season. He is tied for the conference lead in goals with Valkema and tied for the lead in assists with teammate Francisco Degiorgi. Linares is now a two-time All-GAC/MIAA selection after earning a second-team selection last season.
Roehrich is the GAC's top goalkeeper for the second-straight year. He was an All-America selection last year and is producing numbers very similar to his line from the 2025 season. In 18 matches, Roehrich has an impressive 0.41 goals against average and an .848 save percentage. He has the third-best goals against average in the nation and sixth-best save percentage, while having a hand in 10 shutouts (5 individual, 5 combined). He was the conference's Goalkeeper of the Week five times this season.
Leal Vales picked up his first all-conference selection as a Tiger in the midfield. He has generated eight points for the Tigers this season with three goals and two assists. One of his three goals was a game winner.
Vincent has been the Tigers' rock on the field this year, playing primarily a defensive role from the midfield. He doesn't have any points accumulated for the season, but leads Tigers in minutes played (1,389) aside from Roehrich's 1,534 minutes in goal. He has been key in helping FHSU have the second-best goals against average as a team in the nation (.444). Vincent, Roehrich, and Linares are the only Tigers to start in all 18 regular season matches.
Degiorgi is a second-team selection at forward in his first season at FHSU. He has eight points for the season with one goal and six assists. The six helpers is tied with Linares for the FHSU and GAC lead. Degiorgi has played in all 18 matches this season.
Espinosa is a second-time selection at defender in his first year as a Tiger. He has played and started in 17 matches this season and ranks fifth on the team in minutes with 1,164. He has figured into the offensive attack for the Tigers at times with two goals and one assist for a total of five points. Espinosa was a junior college All-America and All-Region performer at his previous school.
Valenti received honorable mention honors at forward in his first season at FHSU. He has seven points for the season with three goals and one assist, while providing two game-winning goals for the Tigers.
Petersson received an honorable mention pick at defender in his first season with the Tigers. He has played and started in 17 matches this season, while ranking third on the team in minutes played with 1,311. He has two assists to his credit this year.
Nichols is now a 7-time conference coach of the year in his 13th season overall as a men's soccer coach at the collegiate level. He is the GAC/MIAA Coach of the Year for a second year in a row after being a five-time Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year at Central Methodist University (Mo.). He has an overall coaching record of 208-45-25 and is now 46-7-10 in his three seasons at FHSU.