UNITED STATES -- College Sports Communicators released its Academic All-District list earlier today, featuring four Western Michigan men's soccer players earning all-district honors. Greyson Mercer, Christian Shannon, Braxton Arpachinda, and Noah James were selected for their efforts on the field and in the classroom.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Men's Team, was selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
Mercer carried a 3.63 entering graduate school at WMU. This season the graduate student has tallied six goals (one game-winner) and four assists, both career highs for the forward from Heber City, Utah.
Shannon, a pre-business analytics major, boasts an impressive 4.0 GPA. This year, the redshirt freshman has tallied personal bests of two goals and three assists. The defender notably scored his first career goal versus #14 Vermont in WMU's season opener on Thursday, August 22.
Arpachinda, a pre-interior architecture & design major carries an impressive 3.85 GPA. This season, the sophomore defender scored a career-high three goals and added a personal best two assists during the 2024 campaign thus far. Arpachinda scored his first career goal earlier this season in WMU's 5-1 win over Air Force on Sunday, September 8.
James, majoring in pre-mechanical engineering is another Bronco that features a 4.0 GPA on the men's soccer team. This year the forward from Poway, California, scored a personal best seven goals and tied his career-high of three assists in 22 games played this season.
Mercer, Shannon, and Arpachinda received enough votes to qualify for the national All-America ballot, which will be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced December 10, 2024.
Since 2021, the men's soccer team has featured at least two Broncos on the CSC Academic All-District team. In two of the past three years, WMU has had at least four student-athletes earn CSC Academic All-District status.
Mercer, Shannon, Arpachinda, James, and the men's soccer team will open NCAA Tournament play agaisnt Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Thursday, November 21, at WMU Soccer Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
Tickets for the match are on sale at wmubroncos.evenue.net. Adult tickets are $10 and youth tickets are $5.
ALL WMU STUDENTS WILL GAIN FREE ADMISSION WITH VALID ID. Students can also claim digital tickets through their ticket account.
The winner of the contest will face No.1 seed Ohio State University on the road in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, November 24 at 5:00 PM.
For all things WMU men's soccer, follow the team on Instagram, @wmu_menssoccer, X, @WMUMensSoccer, and Facebook, @wmumenssoccer.
