Men's Soccer | 11/12/2025 2:01:00 PM

Seven members of the Saint Francis men's soccer team earn NEC honors. Diego Garciarena (Asuncion, Paraguay) was named Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the All-NEC first team along with Álvaro Planas (Valladolid, Spain/Nuestra Señora del Lourdes), Mika Wernicke (Potsdam, Germany/Kansas Wesleyan), and Jonah Wolf (Benndorf, Germany/SV Gonsenheim).  Harry Elmore (Manchester, England), Connor O'Keefe (West Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Catholic), and Thero Mitchell III (Bothell, Wash./Bothell) were also named to the NEC All-Rookie team.

Garciarena named Goalkeeper of the Year and first team All-NEC. The junior goalkeeper was a key performer in goal for the Red Flash recording 12 starts with 51 saves between the posts during the regular season. He recorded four shutouts through his 12 games played as well. Garciarena this season tallied a career-high of 13 saves in the key match against FDU, allowing the Red Flash to clinch a post season NEC tournament berth. Along with these newest All-NEC and Goalkeeper of the Year honors, Garciarena earned Defensive Player of the Week October 27 and two Prime Performer honors October 20 and 13. Garciarena is the first Saint Francis men's soccer player to earn Goalkeeper of the Year.

Junior forward, Planas in 16 games played and 14 starts has recorded four goals this season with two during the 5-1 win over New Haven, and two assists on the season. On his career, he has tallied seven goals, two assists, and 16 points. Wernicke made his Red Flash debut this 2025 fall season at defense. In his 15 games started, the junior has recorded three points with one goal and one assist with eight shots. Wernicke posted his single goal during the 4-3 win over LIU and assist in the 3-all match against Loyola Maryland. Sophomore midfielder, Wolf recorded a career high of eight points with three goals and two assists in his 11 games started and 14 games played. Wolf posted 1075 minutes on the regular season, scoring goals during the 2-0 win over CCSU, the 4-3 win over LIU, and one during the 3-3 draw with Loyola Maryland. In his career, he has tallied three goals, three assists, nine points, and 19 shots taken through the 29 games player.

Midfielder, Elmore has played in 14 games with six starts. With 11 shots, the freshman has scored one goal and tallied one assist throughout his first Red Flash season. Elmore, on October 27, earned a NEC Rookie of the Week honor after his performance in the teams' key win over FDU where he scored the only goal for the Red Flash to keep the team ahead over the Knights. O'Keefe has started and played in all 16 regular season matches for the Red Flash playing in all 90 minutes of all the matches, recording 1440 minutes on the season. The freshman has performed well in defense for Saint Francis, stopping offensive opponents in the backfield from obtaining more opportunities to score than they have been given. Forward, Mitchell III has made 14 starts for the Red Flash, playing in all 16 matches. The freshman has recorded 10 points on the season with four goals and two assists with 20 shots taken. During the final regular season match against CCSU, Mitchell III recorded a career-high for himself of three points after scoring one of the two goals and one assist in the 2-0 win over the Blue Devils. Mitchell III also has received two NEC Rookie of the Week honors as well as one NEC Co-Player of the Week honors for the Red Flash October 6 and November 10. 

Garciarena, Planas, Wernicke, and Wolf join the 24 other names of Saint Francis men's soccer to earn All-NEC first team honors in Red Flash history. Elmore, O'Keefe, and Mitchell III join the 11 other names of Saint Francis men's soccer to earn NEC All Rookie Team honors in Red Flash history. 

The Red Flash will be back in action Thursday for the semifinal match of the NEC postseason tournament against LIU at 1 p .m., at Stokes Soccerplex.