BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2025 Gulf South Conference men’s soccer yearly awards were swept by Mississippi College, while the All-GSC teams include players from seven programs. The All-GSC teams and yearly award winners were voted on by conference head coaches.
The Choctaw quartet includes forward Lewis Matton who captured his second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year award, goalkeeper Cole Turner named as Defensive Player of the Year, forward Russell Berko who took home Freshman of the Year, while Rafael Costa voted as Coach of the Year.
The GSC regular season champion, Mississippi College, had the most players selected as All-GSC with seven honorees. Both AUM and West Florida followed with six honorees each. West Alabama had three players named as honorees, while UAH and Christian Brothers each had two, and Montevallo had one.
Matton tied for the conference’s second-most goals at 10, including the most game-winners with four. The senior captain had 20 of his 45 shots on goal with half of those finding the back of the net. He started in 15 of 16 matches played for the Choctaws and led the GSC in conference play with 19 points, averaging 1.73 points per game. Matton is the first-ever back-to-back honoree since the award began in 2019.
Turner logged 1,305 minutes in goal, finishing among conference leaders in saves (3rd/60), saves per game (3rd/4.00), and save percentage (4th/.759). The Brandon, Miss., native conceded 19 goals on 163 shots faced and secured three clean sheets across 15 games. He is the third goalkeeper and third Choctaw to take home GSC defensive honors.
Berko had a standout rookie campaign and was among the top-five GSC leaders in three categories—goals (5th/nine), assists (4th/six) and points (5th/24). He also placed 10th in game-winning goals (two), shots (37) and shots on goal (16), while starting 13 of 16 games. The English-born forward is the second-ever Choctaw to win GSC Freshman of the Year, the first since Felix Ewald in 2022.
Costa was tabbed GSC Coach of the Year in his first season as head coach. Under his direction, Mississippi College claim its fourth GSC regular season title, and the No. 1-seed in the GSC Championship, with an unbeaten conference record of 9-0-2, while going 11-1-4 overall. The Choctaws outscored their opponents 44-22 and led the conference in goals (44), assists (33) and shots on goal (108). Nationally, MC was one of the Division II's most-potent offense ranking 17th in shots on goal per game (6.81), fifth in total goals (44) and fourth in scoring offense (2.75 goals/game).
2025 GSC Men’s Soccer Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Lewis Matton, Sr., F, Mississippi College^
Defensive Player of the Year: Cole Turner, Sr., GK, Mississippi College
Freshman of the Year: Russell Berko, F, Mississippi College
Coach of the Year: Rafael Costa, Mississippi College
2025 Men’s Soccer First Team All-GSC‡
GK: Cole Turner, Mississippi College!
D: João Ribero, West Florida
D: Gage Sorey, Mississippi College
D: Jonas Grauer, West Florida
D: Callum Lee, Mississippi College
M: Sergio Garrido, Mississippi College§#
M: Rafael Esteves Machado, West Florida
M: Nikolas Rodriguez Alzate, West Florida
M: Noah Fernandes, AUM
F: Lewis Matton, Mississippi College#
F: Russell Berko, Mississippi College§
F: David Nunez, West Alabama
F: Benjamin Hoffmann, AUM#
F: Dominic Kienzle, Montevallo
2025 Men’s Soccer Second Team All-GSC
GK: Tomas Valles Gilbert, West Florida
D: Alan De Paula, AUM
D: Oisin Griffin, West Alabama
D: Harvey Hewson, UAH
D: Jamie Ward, AUM
M: Sean Keane, AUM
M: Ronny Wakelin, West Alabama
M: Alvaro Pena, Mississippi College
M: Olaf Kramer, Christian Brothers*
F: Manu Bernabeu, West Florida
F: Robiston Lukau, AUM
F: Alexander Blanche, Christian Brothers*
F: Oli Orzechowski, UAH*
^ 2024 GSC Offensive Player of the Year
# 2024 First Team All-GSC
* 2024 Second Team All-GSC
! 2023 Second Team All-GSC
§ unanimously selected
‡ Tie in voting resulted in expanded roster