2016 Nexus Sport Awards: Gauchos in Full Effect

June 2, 2016 at 5:00 am by Sean White, Jorge Mercado, Daniel Moebus-Bowles, Ryan Burns, Antonia Bird, Sinead Leon, Liam Bailey, Xavier Cardenas, Elliot Thornton and Duncan MacPhee

: Crowned the Big West Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive time and just the fifth player in Big West history to be selected First Team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), junior forward Nick DePuy had one of the most prolific seasons in the nation in 2015. In addition to leading the conference in goals (15), total points (31) and shots (80), DePuy was best in the clutch as he led both the nation and conference with eight game-winning goals and is currently third all-time in Big West history with 14 career game-winners. The Gauchos’ sharpshooter also tied for third in the nation in scoring with 15 goals. Becoming the first player in Big West history to earn three straight Big West Offensive Player of the Week awards this season, DePuy’s impact on the field is inevitable as Santa Barbara is 16-0-4 all-time when the forward scores a goal. Eric Swenson / Daily Nexus

: Distance runner Tori Tsolis has been exciting to watch all season long, leading women’s track and field in her last year of eligibility as one of the team’s most experienced and accomplished athletes. The grad student in economics has done an impressive job of balancing her intensive master’s program with her unforgiving training regimen this year, helping her team to a second place finish at Big West Championships and cementing her place in UCSB history in the process. At the Mt. Sac College Invite in April, Tsolis set a new school record in her preferred event, the 1500m, with a run of 4:19.02. She is ranked No. 15 in the West in this event and hopes to advance to nationals for the first time with a top-12 finish at regionals this weekend in Kansas. Courtesy of Tori Tsolis

: In just her second year, Head Coach Serela Kay has already made a huge impact on the UCSB women’s water polo program. In 2016, she became the first coach in program history to earn Big West Coach of the Year honors as the Gauchos won their first conference title and earned their first ever NCAA Tournament bid. Just this past season, Kay helped improve Santa Barbara to a third-place finish in the Big West standings after it finished fifth last year. With Kay’s clear devotion to the team’s success the past two years and her ability to instill a championship foundation early, the growth of UCSB’s program can only continue to ascend in the future. Jose Ochoa / Daily Nexus

: The UCSB men’s soccer team continued to elevate it’s program after another successful season. Despite not repeating as Big West champions, the Gauchos accumulated 14 wins this season increasing its win totals by two and extending its double digit win seasons to 14 straight. After earning a first-round bye, Santa Barbara’s biggest win came in the form of a NCAA tournament victory over South Carolina in the second round. UCSB’s second round victory has been the first time since 2011 that the team has moved on this far along the tournament. Eric Swenson/Daily Nexus

: It was a monumental season for the UCSB women’s water polo team this year, as they accomplished a feat no other team in program history had before. For the first time ever the Gauchos went on to win the Big West Tournament and made its first NCAA appearance. Head Coach Serela Kay received Coach of the Year award after taking the team this far in only her second season at UCSB. On top of that, a record five Gauchos received all-conference accolades, three of them first teamers, a program’s best. The team’s chemistry led to 301 goals combined, averaging 9.12 per game to lead the Big West offensively and defensively as senior goalkeeper Mackenzie Brokaw tallied 285 saves this season. Dustin Harris / Daily Nexus

: With a new second-best NCAA record total of 14,919 fans in attendance, the second meeting of the season between UCSB and Cal Poly was the newest addition to a storied tradition. Dustin Harris / Daily Nexus

: Freshman Nicolas Moreno de Alboran electrified the UCSB Tennis team’s lineup this year, giving the Gauchos 15 singles wins on the upper courts in dual match play and 12 wins in doubles. In just his first year on the team the young Gaucho accumulated multiple Big West titles, garnering First Team All-Conference honors in singles, Second Team All-Conference in doubles and the Big West Freshman of the Year award. Most importantly, Moreno de Alboran helped the Gauchos to their second straight Big West Championship and an undefeated conference record of 5-0. Jenny Luo / Daily Nexus

: Women’s Soccer Head Coach Paul Stumpf would have never thought a freshman player in Mallory Hromatko would lead UCSB in clinching two coveted milestones this year: its first regular season title since 2006 and first semifinal appearance since 2009. As a First Team All-Big West recipient and the conference’s Freshman of the Year, the striker from Danville, Calif. came in clutch when her team needed her most, assisting or scoring on seven game-winning goals this season versus teams like Duquesne, Texas and most notably the 2015 Big West champion Cal State Fullerton. Breaking former Gaucho Jennifer Borcich’s record with nine total goals and 24 points, the highest by any other freshman in UCSB history, Hromatko will surely develop into an elite forward for the Big West and become a vital ingredient to the steady mix of under and upperclassmen for Santa Barbara next year. Stephen Manga/Daily Nexus

: It’s always a bittersweet moment for seniors like Michael Bryson to bid farewell to their respective programs and move on to the next chapter of life, but the 6-foot-4-inch shooting guard can confidently keep his head high and reflect on the body of work he has produced as a Gaucho. Starting 118 of his 124 games played, hitting 241 total three-pointers and finishing sixth all-time on the Gaucho’s scoring list with 1,620 points, the fourth-year player from Sacramento, Calif. will certainly go down as one of the premiere combo guards in UCSB and Big West history. Despite a competitive month of trying to grab scouts’ attention for the NBA Draft on June 23, one thing is for certain for the talented senior: a basketball team will utilize his capabilities in the near future. Dustin Harris / Daily Nexus

: Utility Samantha Murphy was one of the key components in helping the UCSB women’s water polo team win its first ever Big West Championship after having a great senior year. The senior received All-Big West Second Team for her wonderful season and had an amazing postseason run in UCSB’s first Big West championship as she was honored with MVP for the tournament after tallying a hat trick in the three matches it took for Santa Barbara to win the title. Christina DeMarzo / Daily Nexus

: Nexus File Photo

: Sophomore guard Makala Roper began the season coming off the bench, but quickly established herself as a crucial contributor for the team. After she scored a career-high 27 points to go along with five assists off the bench in the eighth game of the year, a 71-69 loss at Pepperdine, Head Coach Bonnie Henrickson decided it was time to insert her into the starting lineup. Roper never looked back, leading the team with 11.8 points per game and a 37.5 percent three-point shooting clip on the season. Dustin Harris / Daily Nexus

: This season, the Gauchos took home their first Big West title in program history and won a bid to the NCAA tournament. Dustin Harris / Daily Nexus

: The UCSB men’s water polo team enjoyed good success this season, which was in large part due to its star senior goalkeeper Chris Whitelegge. The California native relished his time as the starting goalkeeper for Santa Barbara. That all came to fruition on Senior Day when the Gauchos took on UC Irvine. In that match, Whitelegge had 11 saves to help lead his team to a narrow 6-5 victory in his final home match. Those 11 saves made Whitelegge UCSB’s all-time saves leader with a total of 828. The senior ended his collegiate career with 895 total saves, placing him second in the MPSF career saves while also adding to his school record. Whitelegge had an amazing career while at UCSB, and his record-breaking performance specifically encompassed that. Christina DeMarzo / Daily Nexus

: Eric Swenson / Daily Nexus

: Helping UCSB capture its second-straight Big West conference championship, junior Morgan Mays and freshman Nicolas de Alboran were just as good in front of the camera as they were on the court all season long. Coming into the Daily Nexus office before heading on the road for their first round matchup versus Georgia Tech in the NCAA Tournament, the two First Team Singles selections were joyous and playful; they played ping pong while waiting to be questioned and expressed a willing desire to be interviewed. While it may not be recognizable to a majority of student-athletes, Mays and Alboran are a reminder of how collegiate athletes are regular people just like us. Jordan Tritton / Daily Nexus

Jorge Mercado

Jorge Mercado is the current Editor in Chief and was a Sports Editor before that since freshman year. He prefers to be called Merk as that was his nickname given to him by the gods. Sometimes, his evil twin Mork appears. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.