(WIAC) – The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced its 2026 All-WIAC Men’s Soccer Team that was selected by the conference coaches.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Jaxon Buckley was selected the Offensive Player of the Year, while UW-Platteville’s Westley Hankes received Defensive Player of the Year honors. UW-Platteville’s Connor Waite and UW-Whitewater’s Austin Waite shared Goalkeeper of the Year recognition, while UW-Stevens Point’s Aisen Witter claimed Newcomer of the Year distinction. In addition, UW-Platteville was tabbed the Coaching Staff of the Year.
Buckley secured Co-Newcomer of the Year and first team plaudits a year ago. This season, he leads the WIAC with 14 goals, 28 points and six game-winning goals. Buckley recorded a pair of hat tricks – against Beloit College (Wis.) on Sept. 15 and Carthage College (Wis.) on Oct. 27.
Hankes is tied for sixth in the conference with five goals, tied for seventh with four assists and eighth with 14 points. He added three game-winning goals and spearheaded a Pioneer defense that ranked second in the WIAC with a 0.94 goals-against-average and posted seven shutouts.
Connor Waite is tied for the WIAC lead with five shutouts, while placing second with a 1.00 goals-against-average and tying for third with a .714 save percentage.
Austin Waite received Goalkeeper of the Year recognition for the second consecutive season. He leads the conference with a 0.83 goals-against-average and .827 save percentage, while adding four shutouts.
Witter has started nine contests and posted a 0.68 goals-against-average and .882 save percentage. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used his first season of participation in men’s soccer this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in men’s soccer at their previous institution.
Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago include: UW-Eau Claire’s Noah Malcook and Tate McDermott; UW-Stevens Point’s Connor Urban; and UW-Whitewater’s Mason Diercks and Hayden Saul. Malcook, McDermott, Urban, Saul and UW-Platteville’s Justin Williams added first team status in 2024.
Coaching Staff of the Year honors were presented to UW-Platteville after they directed the squad to its first WIAC regular-season title since 2012. The coaching staff includes head coach Jesse Tinney, along with assistant coaches Tom Corcoran and Brandon Pink.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was announced for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each team as selected by that team.
2026 All-WIAC Men’s Soccer Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Owen Backus, Eau Claire, Junior, Forward, Elkhorn, Wis. (Elkhorn)
Jaxon Buckley, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Forward, Kingsford, Mich. (Kingsford)
Tyler Chrisman, Whitewater, Sophomore, Midfielder, Lemont, Ill. (Lemont)
Baylor Denu, Eau Claire, Junior, Defender, Beloit, Wis. (Beloit Memorial)
Mason Diercks, Whitewater, Senior, Defender, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
Sam Everakes, River Falls, Junior, Defender, Villa Park, Calif. (Villa Park)
Westley Hankes, Platteville, Junior, Defender, Edgerton, Wis. (Edgerton)
Brady Harwood, Platteville, Senior, Defender, Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North)
Noah Johnson, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Bemidji, Minn. (Bemidji)
Ilya Lalich, River Falls, Junior, Midfielder, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)
Noah Malcook, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Fitchburg, Wis. (Oregon)
Luis Marquez Sedano, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Defender, Des Moines, Iowa (West Des Moines Dowling Catholic)
Tate McDermott, Eau Claire, Junior, Midfielder, Grimes, Iowa (Dallas Center-Grimes)
Zac Monnett, Platteville, Senior, Forward, Minooka, Ill. (Minooka)
Andrew Phillips, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Libertyville, Ill. (Libertyville)
Roberto Salinas, Platteville, Sophomore, Midfielder, Elgin, Ill. (Elgin)
Hayden Saul, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, Iowa City, Iowa (Liberty)
Connor Urban, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, Waukesha, Wis. (Waukesha West)
Austin Waite, Whitewater, Sophomore, Goalkeeper, Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central)
Connor Waite, Platteville, Sophomore, Goalkeeper, Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central)
Justin Williams, Platteville, Senior, Midfielder, Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North)
Caden Wits, Platteville, Sophomore, Forward, Hawthorn Woods, Ill. (Lake Zurich)
Honorable Mention
Logan Bergien, Stout Polytechnic, Sophomore, Midfielder, Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee)
Carter Eklund, River Falls, Junior, Defender, Andover, Minn. (Andover)
Keegan Maxfield, Platteville, Sophomore, Midfielder, Green Bay, Wis. (Green Bay Notre Dame)
Charlie McGinnis, Stevens Point, Junior, Defender, Verona, Wis. (Verona)
Sven Oberg, Stout Polytechnic, Sophomore, Forward, Pine Island, Minn. (Pine Island)
Sorel Richardson, River Falls, Senior, Defender, Alameda, Calif. (Alameda Encinal)
Greyson Shiek, River Falls, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Andover, Minn. (Andover)
Tommy Slater, Eau Claire, Freshman, Defender, Northville, Mich. (Northville)
All-Sportsmanship Team
Owen Backus, Eau Claire, Junior, Forward, Elkhorn, Wis. (Elkhorn)
Mauricio Cuevas, River Falls, Junior, Forward, Rosemount, Minn. (Rosemount)
Massimo Di Pilato, Stout Polytechnic, Junior, Defender, Montreal, Quebec (Laval Senior Academy)
Zachary Fier, Platteville, Senior, Defender, Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie)
Aidan Glancey, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, Milwaukee, Wis. (Whitnall)
Charlie McGinnis, Stevens Point, Junior, Defender, Verona, Wis. (Verona)
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Buckley – Stevens Point
Defensive Player of the Year: Westley Hankes – Platteville
Co-Goalkeepers of the Year: Austin Waite – Whitewater and Connor Waite – Platteville
Newcomer of the Year: Aissen Witter – Stevens Point
Coaching Staff of the Year: Platteville
Max Sparger Scholar Athlete: Noah Malcook – Eau Claire
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