Five Bears Land on 2000’s ASUN All-Decade Team
9/11/2020 11:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Vicente Arze, Ramiro Canovas, Del Olaoye, Max Rooke and Neil Zarac all earned a spot on the conference’s all-decade team
ATLANTA – Former Mercer men's soccer players Vicente Arze, Ramiro Canovas, Del Olaoye, Max Rooke and Neil Zarac were named to the ASUN Conference All-Decade team on Friday morning, the league office announced.
Mercer's five all-decade selections was the second-most behind Campbell who had seven honorees. A total of 28 former student-athletes were recognized.
To be named to the All-Decade Team an individual must have competed for at least two years in the decade as an ASUN student-athlete. Individuals that obtained one of the following criteria were named to the team; three First Team All-Conference selections, four All-Conference selections or multiple Scholar-Athlete/Player of the Year honors. Individuals that obtained at least two of the following criteria were also named to the team; Player/Freshman/Defensive Player/Goalkeeper/Scholar-Athlete of the Year, three All-Conference selections, two First Team All-Conference selections or an ASUN career record holder.
Arze, who donned the Orange and Black from 2004-07, earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors and was one of six players in the decade to be named an All-ASUN performer all four years. He collected first team honors as a freshman and sophomore before landing on the second team his final two seasons. Arze was an offensive threat for the Bears, accumulating 63 points in his career on 22 goals and 19 assists. He remains in the program's top-10 in all three categories, ranking fourth in assists, seventh in points and ninth in goals. He helped lead Mercer to its fourth ASUN Finals appearance in six seasons in 2004.
Canovas played for the Bears from 2000-03, guiding the team to three-straight regular season crowns and back-to-back ASUN Finals appearances in his first two seasons. He helped Mercer to its second ASUN Tournament title in three years in 2001 with a 2-1 victory over Jacksonville in the conference finals. Throughout his four years, Canovas earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors in addition to being named the conference's Player of the Year in 2003. A prolific scorer, Canovas currently ranks fifth in Mercer history for career goals (27) and sixth in career points (67).
Olaoye, who played for Mercer from 2002-05, was one of six players in the decade to be named an All-ASUN performer all four years. He earned first team honors in 2002 and 2004, while garnering second team recognition in 2003 and 2005. The 2002 ASUN Freshman of the Year led the Bears to the regular season title in his first collegiate season, while aiding the squad to the 2004 ASUN Finals. Olaoye is just one of four players to score 30 or more goals in a Mercer uniform, tallying 31 career goals. He currently ranks fourth all-time with 73 points.
Rooke played for Mercer from 1998-02, leading the team to three-consecutive ASUN Regular Season titles and a pair of tournament crowns in 1999 and 2001. A four-time all-conference selection, he earned ASUN Player of the Year honors in 2001. Rooke remains one of the best set up men in program history, ranking second in career assists with 22 and third in single-season assists with nine in 1999. He also earned three ASUN All-Tournament selections.
Zarac, who also played from 1998-02, was one of the main beneficiaries from all of Rooke's assists. He compiled 44 goals and 103 points in his illustrious career, ranking 11th in goals and 13th in points in ASUN history. Zarac is second in Mercer history in both categories. Additionally, he is the only player in the program's 50 years to post three of the top-10 marks in single-season goals and points. Zarac is one of only three players in ASUN history to earn multiple Tournament MVP nods, being awarded the honor in both of the team's championship seasons in 1999 and 2001. He also earned First Team All-ASUN accolades both of those seasons.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Soccer, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_MSoccer (Twitter), MercerMSoccer (Instagram) and /MercerMSoccer (Facebook) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
Mercer's five all-decade selections was the second-most behind Campbell who had seven honorees. A total of 28 former student-athletes were recognized.
To be named to the All-Decade Team an individual must have competed for at least two years in the decade as an ASUN student-athlete. Individuals that obtained one of the following criteria were named to the team; three First Team All-Conference selections, four All-Conference selections or multiple Scholar-Athlete/Player of the Year honors. Individuals that obtained at least two of the following criteria were also named to the team; Player/Freshman/Defensive Player/Goalkeeper/Scholar-Athlete of the Year, three All-Conference selections, two First Team All-Conference selections or an ASUN career record holder.
Arze, who donned the Orange and Black from 2004-07, earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors and was one of six players in the decade to be named an All-ASUN performer all four years. He collected first team honors as a freshman and sophomore before landing on the second team his final two seasons. Arze was an offensive threat for the Bears, accumulating 63 points in his career on 22 goals and 19 assists. He remains in the program's top-10 in all three categories, ranking fourth in assists, seventh in points and ninth in goals. He helped lead Mercer to its fourth ASUN Finals appearance in six seasons in 2004.
Canovas played for the Bears from 2000-03, guiding the team to three-straight regular season crowns and back-to-back ASUN Finals appearances in his first two seasons. He helped Mercer to its second ASUN Tournament title in three years in 2001 with a 2-1 victory over Jacksonville in the conference finals. Throughout his four years, Canovas earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors in addition to being named the conference's Player of the Year in 2003. A prolific scorer, Canovas currently ranks fifth in Mercer history for career goals (27) and sixth in career points (67).
Olaoye, who played for Mercer from 2002-05, was one of six players in the decade to be named an All-ASUN performer all four years. He earned first team honors in 2002 and 2004, while garnering second team recognition in 2003 and 2005. The 2002 ASUN Freshman of the Year led the Bears to the regular season title in his first collegiate season, while aiding the squad to the 2004 ASUN Finals. Olaoye is just one of four players to score 30 or more goals in a Mercer uniform, tallying 31 career goals. He currently ranks fourth all-time with 73 points.
Rooke played for Mercer from 1998-02, leading the team to three-consecutive ASUN Regular Season titles and a pair of tournament crowns in 1999 and 2001. A four-time all-conference selection, he earned ASUN Player of the Year honors in 2001. Rooke remains one of the best set up men in program history, ranking second in career assists with 22 and third in single-season assists with nine in 1999. He also earned three ASUN All-Tournament selections.
Zarac, who also played from 1998-02, was one of the main beneficiaries from all of Rooke's assists. He compiled 44 goals and 103 points in his illustrious career, ranking 11th in goals and 13th in points in ASUN history. Zarac is second in Mercer history in both categories. Additionally, he is the only player in the program's 50 years to post three of the top-10 marks in single-season goals and points. Zarac is one of only three players in ASUN history to earn multiple Tournament MVP nods, being awarded the honor in both of the team's championship seasons in 1999 and 2001. He also earned First Team All-ASUN accolades both of those seasons.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Soccer, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_MSoccer (Twitter), MercerMSoccer (Instagram) and /MercerMSoccer (Facebook) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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