SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The West Coast Conference (WCC) officially announced the conference's major awards for the 2024 men's soccer season on Wednesday afternoon.
 
For San Francisco, eight Dons earned All-Conference honors this year: Reid Roberts (Defensive Player of the Year + WCC All-Conference First Team), Gabriel Bracken Serra (WCC All-Conference First Team), Isaiah Easley (WCC All-Conference Second Team), David Raphael (WCC All-Conference Second Team + WCC All-Freshman Team), Rylan Smith (WCC Honorable Mention), Eric Waltz (WCC Honorable Mention), Brayden Beason (WCC All-Freshman Team) and Junhwan Park (WCC All-Freshman Team).
 
"It was our best conference finish as runner ups since 2017," said head coach Chris Brown. 
 
"We are proud of the growth since 2021, but certainly not satisfied. Our goal was to be lifting a trophy this season and the margin was very small in conference. We showed we were one of the best teams in conference and that we have some really top players here at San Francisco. The team played their best football throughout conference and the last 10 games of the season when it mattered most. Some players really stepped up and I can't wait to get to work with the group we return. I'm extremely grateful for the positive impact the seniors poured into our culture."
 
Beginning with Roberts, the junior becomes the first Don to win WCC Defensive Player of the Year since Rob Valentino in 2005. This fall, the Fort Collins, Colo. native was one of just three student-athletes for San Francisco to start and play in all 17 matches for the green and gold. Impressively, he was the only Don to play every minute of every match for San Francisco this season as his 1,530 total minutes led the team in 2024. As the leader of the back line, Roberts guided the Dons five shutouts this season, including the team's second straight win over a top 10 Stanford team. Offensively, Roberts finished with a career-high three assists on the campaign as the defender logged assists in San Francisco's win at LMU and Saint Mary's. For Roberts, these honors mark the third straight year in which he has received conference recognition after being named a WCC Honorable Mention and a WCC All-Freshman Team selection in 2022 in addition to WCC All-Conference First Team status in 2023.
 
"Reid is the first Defender of the Year on the Hilltop since USF legend Rob Valentino in 2005. He had an incredible Junior year. He played in every single minute which is due to his professionalism, toughness, and consistency. He has gotten better every year and he showed this season that he is the best defender in the WCC and one of the top ones in the country. I look forward to see what he's capable of his Senior year as we embark on Lifting the 2024 WCC trophy."
 
For Bracken Serra, the midfielder caps off his career on the Hilltop by earning WCC All-Conference First Team honors for the second consecutive year. This fall, the Berkeley native started and played in all 17 matches for San Francisco as he tallied four goals, five assists, 13 points, 39 shots, 20 shots on goal and one game-winning goal. Overall, his five assists tied a career-high (2023) while he set a new career-high with 20 shots on frame this season. Within the conference, Bracken Serra finished third in shots on goal, fifth in shots, tied for sixth in assists and tied for eighth in points. Notably, Bracken Serra scored in the 33^rd minute of San Francisco's 2-1 win at LMU on Oct. 26 to lift the Dons to a crucial road victory. Overall, his 1,422 minutes were second on the team to Roberts.

"Gabe has meant so much to this program," said Brown. "After starting in fall of 2020 he has not only improved every facet of his game, but he has dealt with so much adversity beautifully. He is a true leader and a true competitor with a ton of quality, and we are forever grateful for all of his hard work and leaving our program in a much better place. To finish his college career on the 1st team WCC back to back years after a season ending injury his sophomore year, is beyond impressive."
 
Coming to campus this past offseason fresh off at national championship at Clemson, Isaiah Easley was a force to be reckoned with for San Francisco this season as the forward started 15 of 17 matches this fall. Offensively, he finished with four goals, two assists, 10 points, 40 shots and 16 shots on frame. Within the conference, Easley finished tied for third in game-winning goals (3), fourth in shots and tied for sixth in shots on goal. Overall, he was one of eight Dons to record 1,000+ minutes on the pitch this fall. For these efforts, he was also named WCC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season - Sept. 30 and Oct. 14.
 
Making an immediate impact upon his arrival, David Raphael enjoyed a standout season for San Francisco during his first year on the Hilltop. Starting in 14 of USF's 17 matches this fall, Raphael captivated the fanbase by recording four goals, one assists, nine points, 24 shots and 14 shots on goal. Within the WCC, his 14 shots on goal tied for ninth among all qualified student-athletes. Notably, the Haitian netted his first collegiate strike in San Francisco's 4-0 win over San José State on Sept. 23. In October, the freshman scored the first goal of the match in USF's 2-0 upset over No. 2 Stanford on Oct. 17.
 
After being named to the WCC All-Freshman team last fall, Rylan Smith dominated alongside Roberts and the rest of the backline again this season. Despite dealing with a hand injury, Smith started and played in all 17 matches for San Francisco this fall and helped the green and gold secure five shutout victories. Overall, the defender was third on the team with 1,378 minutes played.
 
Earning All-WCC honors for the second consecutive year, the 2023 WCC Goalkeeper of the year shined in all 13 matches he started and played in this fall as he racked up 33 saves and three shutouts in 1,170 total minutes. Notably, he finished the season ranked fifth in the WCC in shutouts per game (.231) and seventh in saves per game (2.54). For these efforts, he was also named WCC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 21 after guiding the Dons to a 2-0 shutout of No. 2 Stanford.
 
Adding his energy into the fold right off the bat, Brayden Beason showcased his skillset all year long as the freshman started in 13 of the 16 matches he appeared in this season. Overall, the forward finished the campaign with five goals, one assist, 11 points, 28 shots, 13 shots on goal and one game-winning goal in 2024. Within the WCC, Beason tied for seventh in goals.
 
Alongside his fellow classmates, Junhwan Park displayed his promise for San Francisco as the freshman finished with two goals, two assists, six points, 27 shots and 12 shots on goal this fall, which equated to a .470 shot on goal percentage. Overall, the forward appeared in all 17 matches for the Dons, which included four starts.
 
To view the full 2024 WCC Men's Soccer Conference Awards, please click here. 
 
For updates and more information on the San Francisco men's soccer program, be sure to follow @USFDonsMSoccer on Twitter, @USFDonsMensSoccer on Instagram and @USFDonsMSoccer on Facebook.