CHARLOTTE, N.C., November 30, 2022 – The 2022 NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer Champion Monroe College Mustangs landed four student-athletes on the 2022 NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer All-America Teams, as announced by the NJCAA on Wednesday. Monroe landed the most representatives of any NJCAA program on this year's All-America Teams.
 
Thiago Jose da Silva and Diogo Bastos were both named to the All-America First Team. Bruno Rosa was selected to the Second Team, while Shotaro Kino was picked to the Third Team. With four selections this year, the Mustangs set a new program record for NJCAA All-Americans in a single season.
 
Three of Monroe's four selections were mainly defensive players in 2022 and can share much of the credit for the Mustangs' incredible season on the back line. Da Silva, Bastos and Kino were Monroe's starting defensive center midfielder, left back and right back, respectively. The three heavily contributed to Monroe's shutdown defense that allowed just 6.2 shot attempts per game, and just 3.3 shots on goal per game. The Mustangs shut out their opponents in 9-of-18 contests this season, including their NJCAA Championship final victory over Arizona Western College and in the team's opening match of pool play against Angelina College that required penalty kicks after a 0-0 stalemate.
 
Individually, Bastos (1,196), Kino (1,086) and da Silva (1,081) all ranked in the team's Top 6 in minutes play this season. Bastos added two goals and two assists on the season for a total of six points. Kino had three assists on the season, including a beautiful set up for a goal in Monroe's NJCAA Championship semifinal win over Cowley College.
 
Rosa finished second on the team with 29 points this season. He scored nine goals and provided a team-high 11 assists. Rosa tallied four points during the NJCAA Championship tournament. He scored the game-winning goal in the second half against Jefferson College to advance the Mustangs to the semifinals. Rosa later provided the assist on Tony Yeboah's game-winner in the semifinals against Cowley, and did so again to set up Yeboah for the dagger to make it 2-0 against Arizona Western in the championship game. He was huge for the Mustangs in the postseason prior to the national tournament, providing three assists in the Region Championship against Monroe Community College, totaling three points in the East District semifinals against Harcum College, and adding the assist on Monroe's lone goal in an upset defeat to Montgomery College in the East District final.
 
The Mustangs claimed their second NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer Championship this season. The team finished 14-1-3 overall in 2022, earning an at-large selection to the NJCAA Championship tournament before winning all four of its games in Melbourne, Fla. Monroe's last two trips to the NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer Championship tournament have resulted in a national title, with the last coming in 2019 when the Mustangs went a perfect 18-0 and allowed just eight goals throughout the entire season.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).