Sverre Orten MSOC D2CCA All-Atlantic Region Player of the Year

Men's Soccer Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Orten Repeats as D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year

Six Golden Knights earn All-D2CCA Atlantic Region honors

ATHENS, W.Va. – Gannon University's Sverre Orten (Orsta, Norway/Aalesund vgs) has repeated as the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) Atlantic Region Player of the Year. It's the third straight year a Golden Knight has won the honor. Two years ago Tinashe Katsande was recognized as the Atlantic Region Player of the Year.

Gannon had six players named to the All-Atlantic Region, with Charleston (WV) leading the way with seven. Five Golden Knights were named to the first team, tops in the region. In addition to Orten who was named as a midfielder, other first team honorees included fellow midfielder Shota Toyama (Kanagawa, Japan/Tama) along with forwards Rafa Hyde (São José dos Campos, Brazil/) and Enzo Rekka (Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Gymnasium of the Catholic School Centre "Sveti Franjo") and defender Gonzalo Perez (Madrid, Spain/Virgen de Europa).

Andre Moraes (Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil/Colegio Singular) was chosen as the second team goalkeeper for the second straight year.

Orten, a senior from Orsta, Norway, was previously named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year for the second straight. With Orten leading the way Gannon has reached the third round of the Super Region 1 Tournament. In fact it was his penalty shot on Sunday that gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 upset of third-seeded Bentley in the second round. Gannon now moves on to play at No. 2 seed Franklin Pierce on Sunday. 

He is putting an exclamation point on a career that ranks among the best to ever roam the pitch at Gannon. Orten not only leads the team in goals with 16 but that total is the best in Division II. He has added 12 assists, which is fifth nationally, for a total of 44 points. That also leads Division II.

Orten has climbed Gannon's career record book through the year and now stands second in career assists (46) and seventh in career points (114).

Orten is now a four-time D2CCA Atlantic Region honoree after earning first team honors the last three years and second team in 2022. He has received a host of honors both for his athletic and academic talents. A year ago he was named a first team United Soccer Coaches All-American and also earned a spot on the D2CCA All-American Team. He is a four-time All-PSAC West first team honoree. 

In the classroom he was the United Soccer Coaches National Scholar Player of the Year, was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America First Team and was a CSC second CSC Academic All-American®.

The forward tandem of Rekka and Hyde ranks two-three in scoring. A freshman from Bosnia and Herzegovena, Rekka has 9 goals and is tied for the team lead in assists with 12 to total 30 points.  Hyde, the 2023 PSAC Freshman of the Year, adds 10 goals and 9 assists for 29 points. They also rank second and third in the PSAC in total points.

Toyama provides Gannon with a midfielder who excels defensively and also is a major contributor on offense. A native of Japan, the senior has contributed 5 goals and 7 assists for 17 points.

While Gannon relies on a high-powered attack that ranks second in Division II in goals scored (63), the Golden Knights also excel on defense. With Perez and Moraes leading the way Gannon has recorded 8 shutouts while limiting opponents to 21 goals, with seven of those coming in the first two matches.

Perez is a senior from Spain and has contributed one goal. Moraes, a redshirt junior from Brazil, owns an 11-1-2 record in goal with a pair of shutouts. He has a 1.05 GAA and .740 save percentage.
 
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Players Mentioned

Rafa Hyde

#9 Rafa Hyde

F
6' 1"
Junior
Andre Moraes

#12 Andre Moraes

GK
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Gonzalo Perez

#2 Gonzalo Perez

D
6' 0"
Senior
Shota Toyama

#17 Shota Toyama

MF
5' 9"
Senior
Business

Players Mentioned

Rafa Hyde

#9 Rafa Hyde

6' 1"
Junior
F
Andre Moraes

#12 Andre Moraes

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
GK
Gonzalo Perez

#2 Gonzalo Perez

6' 0"
Senior
D
Shota Toyama

#17 Shota Toyama

5' 9"
Senior
Business
MF