Santa Ana College freshman forward Oscar Navarro has been named the 2016 Orange Empire Conference men's soccer Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the conference's head coaches at last week's postseason meeting held at Santiago Canyon College.
Navarro played in all 19 games for the Dons and led the conference with 37 points (14 goals, nine assists) during OEC play. For the season, Navarro notched 19 goals and 11 points for a conference-best 49 points.
With a 9-0-5 conference record, Golden West College claimed the OEC title this season and had four of its players – Brian Montano, Ivan Pineda, Calvin Cruz and Luis Ramirez -- earn first-team honors.
Pineda had four goals and five assists for the Rustlers, but it was the strong two-way play of all four players that helped the Rustlers to a conference-best 12 goals allowed during OEC play and just 23 goals allowed all season long.
Rustlers' head coach Alex Gimenez was voted on as the 2016 OEC Coach of the Year.