The Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its All-Conference team on Monday morning, and Berkeley College was well represented. A total of nine Knights were honored, including a Player of the Year, four First-Team All-Conference players, three Second-Team All-Conference players, an All-Conference Honorable Mention, and an HVIAC Tournament MVP.
Earning the HVIAC Player of the Year award was junior defender Suad Lukovic. Lukovic was fantastic for the Knights during this 2023 campaign. He was one of six Berkeley College players to appear in all 17 of the team's games thus far, scoring eight goals, registering five assists, and totaling 21 points. He also scored three game-winning goals, easily establishing himself as one of the team's most prolific game-changers this year.
Lukovic, in addition to being selected as the Player of the Year, also earned a spot on the First-Team. Joining him on the First-Team were Victor Batista, Ian Pallardel, and Lucas Zuleta.
Batista played and started in goal in 15 of Berkeley's 17 matches. The standout put together a record of 12-1 between the pipes, allowing just 13 goals (1.01 GAA) while making 46 saves. He came up huge for the Knights in the HVIAC championship contest against Five Towns College, stopping three Sound penalty kicks and helping the Knights win their second consecutive HVIAC crown.
Pallardel, like Lukovic, has appeared in all 17 of the Knights' games thus far this season. The sophomore has put together an incredible offensive season, notching seven goals and registering seven assists for a total of 21 points.
Zuleta, another offensive sparkplug, scored five goals and registered four assists for a total of 14 points in 17 matches.
Highlighting the All-Conference Second-Team honorees was Marco DaSilva. DaSilva, who led the Knights with 12 goals this season, saved his most prolific player for recent matches. In Berkeley's season finale against Bucks County Community College, he scored three goals. He followed up that stellar effort by scoring three goals in the HVIAC tournament, two against Word of Life in the semifinals, and
another against Five Towns in the championship. DaSilva currently leads Berkeley in goals (12), points (27), shots (34), and shots on-goal (29).
Sophomores Joseph Buel and Allan Luna rounded out Berkeley's Second-Team honorees. Buel, a defender, and Luna, a midfielder, played a key role on the defensive side for the Knights. The two standouts helped Berkeley's defense yield less than two goals per contest (32 allowed in 17 games).
Michael Paredes earned an All-Conference honorable mention, scoring five goals and notching a pair of assists for a total of 12 points. He also scored a pair of game-winning goals during the 2023 campaign.
Earning the HVIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player award was Esteban Pedrueza. Pedrueza registered three assists in Berkeley's 6-3 semifinal round win over Word of Life. The next day, in Berkeley's victory over Five Towns College, he netted a pair of goals in a game the Knights eventually went on to win.
The Knights will now set their sights on winning that elusive USCAA Division II National title. Their quest begins on Friday, November 17, as the Knights travel to Pittsburgh, PA to take on the University of Cincinnati-Clermont at 3:30pm. Berkeley College will also play Penn State Brandywine on either Saturday, November 18, or Sunday, November 19, as part of "pool play." Should the Knights earn enough points in their "pool", they'll advance to the championship game on Monday, November 20, to take on the winner of the other pool, either Johnson & Wales-Charlotte, Five Towns College, or Central Maine Community College.
