UCI’s Garcia, Fontein collect soccer honors

UC Irvine junior Irving Garcia was named to Soccer America’s MVP second team and Anteaters freshman goalie Andrew Fontein was named second-team All-Freshman by Soccer America and third-team All-Freshman by College Soccer News.

Garcia, a junior college transfer, had at least one point (goal or assist) in each of UCI’s last seven matches to wind up second on the team in scoring with 23 points (seven goals and nine assists).

Fontein was named Big West Conference Co-Freshman of the Year after posting five shutouts and allowing 1.02 goals per match.

Garcia and Fontein helped UCI win the Big West regular-season and tournament titles and advance to the round of 16 in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance. UCI was 15-2-6.

— From staff reports