Toth Receives Highest NCCAA Honor for Men's Soccer
The NCCAA is pleased to announce
Jesse Toth of Houghton College as the 2016 Kyle Rote, Jr. Award Recipient for Men's Soccer.
This award serves as the top award within the sport, recognizing academic excellence, athletic achievement and Christian service and conduct. Built on the Christ-like traits of Love, Integrity, Faith and Excellence, the NCCAA GP4L awards program seeks to honor one student-athlete in each sport who best displays these qualities.
A player roaming the back line in soccer doesn't always get the glory, but he is often the difference maker in a close contest. For the past four years,
Jesse Toth has been playing that critical role well for Houghton College men's soccer.
Jesse's leadership and composure have been key to the Highlanders' success. The senior defender has suited up in 68 games and helped his team to 31 shutouts, while contributing seven career goals and five assists, for a Houghton team that has gone 43-24-9.
"The two-year captain is the team's undisputed leader," says Coach
Matthew Webb. "Everything on and off the field goes through Jesse. He is our leader, holds the highest GPA on the team, and is clearly the team's spiritual leader as well. Jesse is passionate about his relationship with Christ. His intent is truly to use his abilities to the glory of God when he plays. He is one of the best I have ever coached. My criteria for players I recruit are ability on the field, ability in the classroom, and a desire to grow in a relationship with Christ. Jesse is the model student-athlete in all three of these areas."
Jesse is a four-time Empire 8 All-Conference First Team selection and has garnered three-straight NCCAA First Team All-Region honors. He was also an NCCAA Second Team All-American and NSCAA-NCAA DIII Third-Team All-East Region, both of those honors coming despite his missing seven games due to a season-ending knee injury. As a sophomore, he also earned NCCAA Second Team All-American honors.
The business administration major has also performed well in the classroom, earning Empire 8 President's List honors five times, being named an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete the past two years, and earning numerous college Dean's List, Dean's Honor List, and President's List honors. Following his junior year, Jesse received Houghton's Male Student-Athlete Excellence Award, the highest honor in the department that is traditionally reserved for graduating seniors. Toth has served as president of the Houghton Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Toth is the second Highlander to receive this honor in the past four years, following in the footsteps of Paul Seddon, who won the award in 2013.
Other Finalists
Ian Billan, Bethel College; Michel Herszenhaut, Southern Wesleyan University; Christian Taylor, Southern Wesleyan University; Maks Yakovenko, Columbia International University
KYLE ROTE, JR. AWARD FOR CHARACTER:
Kyle Rote, Jr. simply excelled in every area of life. He played every available sport but soccer grabbed his allegiance in his teen years and he was an All-American selection during his days at the University of the South. He rose to worldwide fame as the first US professional player to be viewed as a superstar during the days of the North American Soccer League. He played with and against the game's best, including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best, and Rodney Marsh. He achieved some of his greatest fame by winning the Superstar Competition in which top athletes from every professional sport competed in a wide array of skills. He bested the likes of Lynn Swan, Drew Pearson, and Franco Harris. Throughout his career in sports, and today as a representative for professional athletes, Kyle Rote, Jr. simply let his faith in Christ drive him to be excellent as a husband, father and community leader. The NCCAA is proud to be able to present an honor of this magnitude in Kyle's honor.
Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, the NCCAA strives to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ through its 24 National Championships and 1 National Invitational. For more information on the NCCAA, contact the NCCAA National Office at
(864) 250-1199 or visit
www.thenccaa.org.