Miners up to 16th nationally, 2nd in region; have four named academic all-district

ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T’s men’s soccer team has moved up in both the national and regional rankings this week – advancing to No. 16 nationally and second in the NCAA Division II Midwest region – and has also seen four members of its team earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors for their work in the classroom.

The Miners up to second in the region in the new rankings that were released Tuesday, trailing only Northern Kentucky in what will be the final rankings that will be released prior to Monday’s selection show. Missouri S&T will play NKU Friday in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament in Highland Heights, Ky., in a battle of the GLVC’s two nationally ranked teams.

S&T is in a tie 16th nationally with Wingate (N.C.), the highest national ranking the program has ever attained, while the Norse are ranked fifth this week. Friday’s game will start at 6:30 p.m. (Central time).

Miner junior midfielder Ryan Muich (O’Fallon, Ill.) and sophomore back Caleb Collier (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo) were named to the Academic All-District first team at their positions, while seniors David Kekec (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue) and Kenny Gravlin (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis University High) were second-team honorees.

Muich, an aerospace engineering major, has started all 17 games for the 10-4-3 Miners this season and is tied for the team lead with three assists, one of which came on the Miners’ first goal in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Bellarmine in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. Collier, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, has scored once this season – in S&T’s 1-0 win at Drury in September – and along with Gravlin has been part of a defensive unit that has been the GLVC’s best during the 2010 season.

The Miners have allowed a league-low 10 goals on the season and have recorded a school record 11 shutouts.

Kekec, a two-time All-GLVC selection in the midfield, has two goals and an assist for the Miners this season. Kekec is majoring in mechanical engineering as is Gravlin, who has an assist this year.