Monroe College wins NJCAA Division I National Championship

The Monroe College men’s soccer team won the 2022 NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament Saturday night at Orlando Health Stadium at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida.

The Mustangs defeated Arizona Western 2-0 in the championship game to win their second national title.

After a scoreless first half, Monroe’s Tony Yeboah made a break and Arizona Western goalkeeper Atsuki Sato came out and stopped the run. A penalty was called on the play giving Monroe College a penalty kick.

Diego Batista stepped up and hit a rocket into the back of the net, giving the Mustangs the lead.

Monroe College goalkeeper Johan Rodriguez made a couple of nice save to keep the Mustangs advantage in the final 20 minutes.

With 11:04 remaining, Yeboah once again got behind the defense and gave the Mustangs a 2-0 lead. Yeboah was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.

“Arizona Western is a really good team, I think we were able to bring a big energy and that was the difference, I t5hought our guys relentlessly dug down and we didn’t have a letdown in intensity,” said Monroe College men’s soccer coach Marcus DiBernardo who won his second men’s title and also has won a national title with the women’s team. “Our goalkeeper saved us, he came in after we lost our goalkeeper in the first game and he came in and stepped up. You can’t win big games without him.”

Arizona Western finishes as the runner-up for the second straight season.

Arizona Wastern’s Sato and Campbell Young made the all-tournament team as did Yeboah and Godwin Partey. Partey was also named the tournament Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Cowley College’s Caique Trivelato was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and Daytona State College was given the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Also making the all-tournament team were Aldair Chaves from Angelina, Zion Wagoner from Salt Lake Community College, Trivelato from Cowley, Tai Reece Chisholm from Tyler Junior College, Jefferson’s Alvarez Cooper, Montgomery’s Diego Ramirez, Daytona State’s Carlos Zambrano and Iowa Western’s Timothy Mason.