Six Men's Soccer Student-Athletes Named CSC Academic All-District

AUSTIN, Texas – Six South Carolina men’s soccer players were named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Men’s Soccer Team as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). The award recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

William Nilsson earned his third Academic All-District® honor, while Ethan Ballek and Isaiah Whittaker-Francis earned their second, and Mika Habel, Andrew Goldsworthy, and Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez each earned their first.

Carolina has now had a player earn CSC All-District honors in 17 of the last 19 seasons. Ballek and Velazquez-Lopez were selected as finalists and will advance to the national ballot where first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced December 16.

Nilsson is a senior defender majoring in civil engineering with a 3.71 GPA. He played in all 18 matches this season, starting 17 times on the backline. He was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16. Nilsson led the Gamecocks with 1,538 minutes played, including playing all 90 minutes in 13 matches.

Ballek, a senior forward majoring in finance with a 3.93 GPA, was named to the CSC Academic All-America Second Team last season. This season he earned All-Conference Second Team honors for the second consecutive season after being named to the Preseason All-Conference team. Over 17 matches and 15 starts he led South Carolina in every offensive category, tallying eight goals, four assists, and 20 points. He was one of only two players in the league to register eight or more goals and four or more assists on the season. He was named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16.

Whittaker-Francis is a junior economics major with a 3.83 GPA. In his first season with the Gamecocks, the midfielder played in all 18 matches and earned 16 starts. He totaled 1,386 minutes player, second most on the team.

A junior finance major with a 3.91 GPA, Habel returned this season after an injury sidelined him most of 2024. The midfielder played in all 18 matches this season with 12 starts. He tied for third on the team with three goals, two assists, and eight points. He also notched the game-winning goal against James Madison. He was named the Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 30.

Goldsworthy, a sixth-year defender, carries a 3.90 GPA while pursuing his master’s in business administration. He started and played in 15 matches, totaling 1,259 minutes on the pitch, fourth-most on the team. He played all 90 minutes in 12 of his 15 appearances. Goldsworthy tallied his first career goal in the season-opener at the College of Charleston.

Velazquez-Lopez is a sophomore midfielder majoring in applied sport psychology and counseling with a 3.90 GPA. The 2024 Second Team All-Conference honoree was third on the team this season with three goals, two assists, and eight points. He played in all 18 matches, starting 12 times and playing 964 minutes. He tied for the team lead with a pair of game-winning goals against Queens (Sept. 23) and Charlotte (Sept. 5).

For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

For the latest on men’s soccer, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.