ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Three members of the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team were recognized with all-league recognition as announced by the Missouri Valley Conference on Sunday morning (Nov. 9). Jose Gomez (Roatan, Honduras) and Amara Kamara (Monrovia, Liberia) earned All-MVC First Team honors while Vance Sheffield (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) was named to the All-MVC Second Team and the All-Freshman Team. 

Playing in its third season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, this marks the first time a Huskie has been named to the All-MVC First or Second Team. Sheffield becomes the second Huskie named to the MVC All-Freshman Team, joining Grant Paskus (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) who received that recognition last season. 

Gomez, who was named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Team, has scored three goals with six assists this season. In two conference games this season, against Belmont and UIC, Gomez recorded a goal and an assist. Gomez was named the Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28 following a week in which he tallied a goal and two assists in victories over Notre Dame and UIC.

In his first season after transferring from Tiffin University, Kamara has been the constant rock in the center of the NIU backline which has conceded one or fewer goals in 12-of-16 games this season. Kamara also provided an assist on Gomez's opening goal against Belmont. 

Sheffield is NIU's leading scorer with six goals and five assists (17 points). His 17 points are the fifth-most by a freshman in NCAA Division I men's soccer while his six goals are tied for the ninth-most by a freshman in the country. Sheffield was named to the Top Draw Soccer Freshman Top 100 List on Oct. 20, he was also named Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6. 

Gomez, Kamara and Sheffield are three of the four Huskies, along with Joe Hernandez (Bensenville, Ill./York Community), to start all 16 games this season. 

NIU finished the regular season with an 8-4-4 overall record, including 3-1-1 in league play, to earn a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. 

The Huskies will open the MVC Tournament later today (Nov. 9) when they host Western Michigan in the quarterfinals at 1 p.m. at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Admission to this afternoon's quarterfinal is free of charge and will also be available on ESPN+.