ST. LOUIS – Missouri State junior forward Jesus Barea claimed the league’s Player of the Year honor, Missouri State senior forward Nicolo Mulatero earned the Valley’s Forward of the Year Award, Missouri State senior midfielder Jack Denton won the Valley’s Midfielder of the Year Award and Drake graduate defender Declan Watters claimed the Valley’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Drake net minder Jon Burke claimed the Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Evansville’s Nacho Diaz earned Freshman of the Year accolades. Barea, Mulatero, Denton, Watters, Burke and Diaz headline a list of 22 student-athletes named to the 2022 MVC All-Conference teams, selected by the coaches, and announced by the league office Wednesday.
JESUS Barea, MISSOURI STATE
Barea, a first-time All-MVC first team honoree, becomes only the second Bear in program history to win the MVC Player of the Year Award, joining Ryan Anderson in 2005. Barea was a key player for Missouri State this season, starting all 15 matches and playing 1,015 minutes. The sophomore scored four goals and added three assists this season and leads the MVC in shots (49).
NICOLO MULATERO, MISSOURI STATE
Mulatero, a two-time All-MVC honoree, leads the Bears and ranks second in The Valley with eight goals this season. In 15 matches this season, the senior forward leads the MVC with 19 points, recording three multi-goal matches so far this season. This is Mulatero’s second MVC Forward of the Year honor after claiming the award in the spring of 2021.
JACK DENTON, Missouri State
Denton, a two-time All-MVC honoree, is tied for first on the team with five assists and has started all 15 matches this season. Denton is the MSU team captain and helps lead the team from his midfield position. He is the second MSU player to win the league’s Midfielder of the Year award, joining teammate Kian Yari a year ago.
DECLAN WATTERS, DRAKE
Watters, a graduate transfer for Drake, has been a mainstay in the Bulldogs lineup, starting in all 15 matches this season. Watters anchored a solid Drake defense that ranked third in the MVC with just 0.93 goals allowed per match. Watters provided an intimidating force on the Bulldogs’ back end and led Drake in minutes played this season (1,350). The graduate student becomes the first player in Drake history to win MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
JON BURKE, Drake
Burke, a graduate goalkeeper for Drake, becomes the second Drake student-athlete to earn the MVC Goalkeeper of the Year award, following Jared Brown a season ago. Burke logged the third-most saves per game (4.13), second-most saves (62) and best save percentage (.816) in the league this season. Five of Burke’s seven wins came in shutout fashion and his 0.94 goals against average ranks fifth on Drake’s all-time records list.
NACHO DIAZ, EVANSVILLE
Diaz, a freshman forward for the Aces, started in 15 of Evansville’s 17 matches this season. Diaz led the conference in goals and points with nine goals and 21 points on the season. Diaz is the eighth player in program history to be named MVC Freshman or Newcomer of the Year. An Ace has earned the award four of the last five seasons, including three-straight. The award was a Newcomer of the Year award from 1991-95 and Freshman of the Year from 1996-present.
DRAKe Coaching Staff
Drake’s coaching staff has earned the MVC’s Coaching Staff of the Year honor, the first coaching honor for the Bulldogs since 1994 and second in program history. Head coach Pat Flinn, in his first season at the helm, led the Bulldogs to a 7-4-4 mark this season, including a 5-2-1 league record which earned the No. 2 seed in the MVC Tournament after being picked last in the preseason poll. His seven overall wins and five MVC wins are the most-ever for a first-year Drake head coach. Pat Flinn is assisted by Kyle Smith, Andrew Blalock and James Wypych.
Missouri State and Drake, combined to place 12 athletes on the first and second-team all-conference squads. The Bears and Bulldogs each placed six players on the all-conference teams. Evansville had five players on the squads, while Belmont placed three players on the all-conference teams. UIC added two honorees. The 22-member team has players from six different countries, including six players from the United States, six from England, six from Spain, two from Italy, one from Ireland and one from Trinidad & Tobago.
Missouri State was tabbed the honor of the Valley’s Fair Play Award, which is structured after the FIFA Fair Play honor. It is awarded to the Valley squad that has the fewest penalty cards during all MVC matches, as the Bears tallied just two penalty cards in regular-season league action.