By: Evan O'Kelly, Director of Communications
MSUB SPORTS – Offensive firepower was a theme of consistency for the Yellowjacket men's soccer team throughout the 2010s, as the team ranked in the upper half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in goals per game in five seasons of the decade.
After a 2000-2009 decade that yielded the most prolific goal scorer in school and GNAC history in Sam Charles – his 69 career goals still stand as the all-time record for both institutions – the Yellowjackets reconfigured their offense and relied on a handful of standout forwards along the way.
This Week's Schedule
| Day |
Release |
| Monday, August 31, 2020 |
Men's Soccer - Forwards |
| Tuesday, September 1, 2020 |
Men's Soccer - Midfielders |
| Wednesday, September 2, 2020 |
Men's Soccer - Defenders |
| Thursday, September 3, 2020 |
Men's Soccer - Goalkeepers |
| Friday, September 4, 2020 |
Men's Soccer - Full Team |
The Starters
Julian Toenges
Position: Left Forward
Hometown: Hessen, Germany
Playing Years: 2014-2016 (3 seasons)
An energetic catalyst poised to run up and down the flanks, Toenges etched his name into the MSUB record books by virtue of his unmatched speed and masterful distribution of the ball into the box. He finished his career tied for fifth in MSUB history with 16 assists, 10 of which came during a 2015 campaign that saw him earn second-team all-conference accolades. That total also tied the second-highest single-season mark in school history. Toenges was a big reason why MSUB led the league in goals per game in 2015, and followed by ranking second in the conference in that category in 2016.
Constantly a threat to produce in bunches, Toenges came within one of the school record with three assists on Sept. 13, 2015 against South Dakota Mines. He had two more multi-assist games, and overall in his career he started 36 matches while logging more than 2,800 minutes on the pitch.
Toenges on what stood out about his career at MSUB: "The team chemistry we had was very special. My assists and development as a player over the years are what I'm most proud of, and I got to know so many people from different places around the world."
Thomas Chameraud (Toenges's Assistant Coach, 2014-2016): "Very offensive outside mid with great pace, and quality service. Tricky player with high technical skills."
Alex Balog (Toenges's Head Coach, 2014-2016): "Speedy Gonzalez. As his career progressed, he became more and more important to the program. He had a playfulness in him on and off the field, and he started to see the value of his education as his college career progressed. He's a player who I think most opposing coaches paid quite a bit of attention to because of his ability."
Where is he now? Toenges currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany where he performs consultant compliance for Taunus Sparkasse.
Thomas Sheets
Position: Right Forward
Hometown: Everett, Washington
Playing Years: 2010-2012
One of the preeminent goal scorers of the decade, Sheets currently ranks ninth in school history with 16 career goals and ninth in points with 41 over his three seasons. He was a second-team all-conference selection in 2011, after leading the team in both goals (8) and points (19) during a season in which MSUB ranked third in the conference with 1.56 goals per game. He also earned second-team honors in 2012, after a debut campaign in 2010 that placed him on the honorable mention squad.
A player who relied on brute strength and strategic positioning within the box, Sheets earned the respect of his teammates through his ability to deliver in clutch situations. On October 18, 2012 at Yellowjacket Field, a red card issued in the 87th minute not only put MSUB down a man in the waning minutes, but created a game-tying penalty kick for visiting Western Washington to send the game to overtime with the score at 1-1. In the 96th minute Sheets delivered one of the most memorable goals of the decade, blasting a 30-yard, curling strike into the upper corner of the net to send his team to a 2-1 golden goal victory.
Sheets on his time at MSUB: "My time at MSUB has made me entirely who I am today. My time taught me drive, patience, passion, and dedication. The teammates and people I met have taught me many things. I am proud of the diversity I got to experience and that has directly affected the way I interact with and treat people. That is extremely important in my line of work."
Thomas Chameraud (Sheets's Teammate, 2011-2012): "He was a beast. Physically he could run through a wall and not get hurt. He was very powerful, and very dangerous in front of goal. He scored some really nice goals, and he was a great guy to be around as well. Very funny."
Alex Balog (Sheets's Assistant Coach, 2011-2012): "Unselfish, tempered. I really like him, because he is someone who perseveres even though things haven't always been easy for him. He is a genuine guy; you get what you see."
Dan McNally (Sheets's Head Coach, 2010-2012): "Really fast and strong, with a great shot. On his day, he could win a game on his own."
Where is he now? Sheets is currently a police officer for Mountlake Terrace Police Department, and resides in Lake Stevens, Washington.
Ricardo Palomino
Position: Striker
Hometown: Puebla, Mexico
Playing Years: 2015-2018
Without question the most dominant offensive player of the decade, Palomino turned heads in his debut season at MSUB with a 16-goal campaign that earned him GNAC Newcomer of the Year honors in 2015. The fourth-highest scoring season in Yellowjacket history (trailing only Charles' seasons of 24 goals and two seasons of 19 goals), Palomino earned first-team all-conference and first-team all-region accolades for his scoring prowess.
Among his GNAC-leading 16 goals, none were more memorable than the three he scored on Oct. 17, 2015 against Concordia University. With MSUB trailing 2-0 at halftime, and an ensuing red card narrowing the Yellowjackets' roster to 10 men, hope for salvaging even a single point with a draw seemed nearly impossible. Palomino took matters into his own hands however, scoring in the 50th, 77th, and 81st minutes to miraculously lift MSUB to an improbable 3-2 victory.
The performance against the Cavaliers earned Palomino one of his three GNAC Player of the Week awards, and he went on to earn the HERO Sports Player of the Week and Legend of the Year honors in 2015.
While injuries hampered Palomino over the next three seasons, he still managed to climb into a tie for second in MSUB history with 27 goals and a tie for fourth in school history with 60 points. Both figures were far and away the most by any player whose entire career occurred during the decade. Palomino had nine multi-goal games, three hat tricks, and tied the school record with four goals on Sept. 13, 2015 against South Dakota Mines. He was a three-time all-conference selection, and twice earned Rimrock Classic MVP honors.
Palomino on his MSUB career: "MSUB helped me open my eyes by making friends from all over the globe, who had different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, and different approaches to life in general. If I had the chance to go back in time and choose again a place to study, I would choose MSUB in a heartbeat."
Thomas Chameraud (Palomino's Assistant Coach, 2015-2018): "Ricky was the most successful striker this decade, and especially in his first year he went off the charts. He was big, fast, technical, and had a very good nose for goal. He had all the qualities to be a really successful player."
Alex Balog (Palomino's Head Coach, 2015-2018): "His class often gave me great joy, and made me enjoy watching him. The best game I have ever been a part of as a coach was won because of his class. He is someone whose talents didn't just lie on the field, but who is articulate, a great piano player, has a great feeling for language, and is a well-rounded guy."
Where is he now? Palomino is currently a personal trainer at an institution in Mexico.
The Reserves
Garion Holian
Position: Forward
Hometown: Missoula, Montana
Playing Years: 2008-2011
Holian was the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year at Hellgate High School, and he parlayed his prep success into one of the best offensive careers MSUB has ever seen. He was a full-fledged starter by his sophomore season in 2009, and began to hit his stride by the turn of the decade. When it was all said and done, Holian's 19 goals tied him for No. 6 in the MSUB record books.
Eleven of his 19 career goals came in the 2010 decade, and he added six assists throughout his career to finish tied for No. 7 in MSUB history with 44 points. Holian's most productive campaign came in 2011, when he ranked second on the team in both goals (7) and assists (4). Nearly half of his 15 shots on target wound up in the back of the net, as Holian proved to be a model of efficiency at the top of the attack for the Yellowjackets.
Holian was a two-time all-conference forward, earned one GNAC Player of the Week honor, and was an academic all-conference selection as well.
Thomas Chameraud (Holian's Teammate in 2011): "Garion was a very good striker in the box, and could finish in any position. He definitely had a nose for goal."
Alex Balog (Holian's Assistant Coach in 2011): "Crafty, technical forward with a lot of flair. Someone who was very multi-talented and intelligent. He was a very good finisher, and I got along with him quite well."
Dan McNally (Holian's Head Coach, 2008-2011): "Excellent technique, and a natural soccer player. On his day, one of the best forwards in the GNAC."
Kyle Emerick
Position: Forward
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2011-2014
A jack-of-all trades during his four-year career at MSUB, Emerick was best known for his humble leadership as he developed into a team captain as a senior for his hometown university. Emerick started and played significant minutes in all four of his collegiate seasons, while finishing six goals and adding 11 assists for 23 career points playing primarily as a forward.
Emerick played in 69 matches and started 46 in his four-year career, while notching three game-winning goals along the way. One of his top offensive performances came during his freshman season on Sept. 8, 2011, when the Yellowjackets conceded a fifth-minute goal and fell behind the University of Mary in a home match. Emerick equalized the score on an assist from Holian in the 28th minute, and won the game for his team shortly after halftime on an assist from
Thomas Chameraud in the 49th minute.
Emerick on his MSUB career: "I would like to say thank you to those who have remembered my contribution and valued my work at MSU Billings. It really is a special place that has so many wonderful people. I feel lucky to have been included in this selection as there are so many great players and people who have come out of this program. I will always hold my times spent at MSU Billings close to my heart."
Thomas Chameraud (Emerick's Teammate in 2011-2012, Assistant Coach in 2013-2014): "Kyle was gifted technically, and he and Matt Brink were probably the two best Billings players in the decade. We were happy to have them in our program."
Alex Balog (Emerick's Assistant Coach in 2011-12, Head Coach in 2013-2014): "For Kyle, our program was the best thing that could happen to him. He blossomed into a captain, and he really connected our program to the community."
Dan McNally (Emerick's Head Coach in 2011-12): "I coached Kyle in club soccer from the age of 13. He improved quickly at MSUB, and turned into an excellent attacking player."
Where is he now? Emerick currently resides in Columbia, Missouri, where he is the director of player analysis for the women's soccer program at the University of Missouri.
Honorable Mention
Julien 
Dragomir
Position: Striker
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
Playing Years: 2016
The Yellowjackets benefitted from Dragomir's services for one season, after he transferred from UNLV and took the GNAC by storm. The true striker led the conference with 12 goals, earning GNAC Newcomer of the Year, first-team all-conference, and second-team all-region during his lone season with the 'Jackets.
Dragomir was the catalyst behind MSUB's most prolific offensive season of the decade, as the team scored 40 goals to average 2.22 per game with both figures ranking second in the conference in 2016. Balog and Chameraud beam at the prospect of having had Dragomir in the lineup for more than one season – a reality which would have undoubtedly led him into the all-decade starting lineup.
Chris Andre
Position: Forward
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2007-2010
Likely the next men's soccer inductee into MSUB's Hall of Fame, Andre's remarkable career as a Yellowjacket culminated on the precipice of the 2010s decade. Andre is the all-time leader in assists with 24, and he ranks fifth in goals with 20. He ranks second only to Charles with 64 career points, and was an all-region player with 10 goals and six assists during his senior season.
Andre would undoubtedly be in the Starting XI alongside Charles on the 2000-2009 all-decade roster.
About the MSUB All-Decade Team Project
The top student-athletes from each of Montana State University Billings' current varsity athletic teams from 2010-2019 have been selected, and 14 all-decade teams will be revealed throughout the course of the fall of 2020. Each sport's all-decade team is comprised of the top-performing student-athletes, with weight given to individual athletic achievement and accolades, team achievement, academic achievement, as well as community service. For more information on MSUB's all-decade project, and to view each sport's all-decade teams, view the all-decade project webpage online here.
