PORTLAND, Ore. – The Montana State University Billings men's soccer program has six of it's student-athletes recognized with All-GNAC recognition, as announced by the conference on Tuesday.
 
So Nagano led all MSUB honorees with his selection to the All-GNAC First Team, while a pair of Yellowjackets in Kolja Thomas and Fred Reiter were picked for the All-GNAC Second Team. Rounding out the list of Yellowjacket honorees was Bjarne Fedkenhauer, George Jones, and Florian Senf.
 
"It's always great to see six of our student-athletes being recognized in this tough conference," said MSUB head coach Paul Cuevas. "They all have worked extremely hard throughout the season, and deserve every bit of this recognition."
 
Joining the Yellowjackets from Coastal Bend College this season, Nagano proved to be a revelation in his first season with the 'Jackets, becoming the first Yellowjacket to score double-digit goals in a season since 2021, and just the ninth individual player to do so in the program's history. Nagano bagged 11 goals on the season, second most in the conference and a team high, while also leading MSUB in total points with 23. The Japanese international also added an assist on the season, while scoring on 28.9% of his shot attempts, while two of his goals proved to be game winners for MSUB.
 
"So continued to find the net all season for us," said Cuevas. "He's a natural goal scorer, and a player who stepped up when the team needed him. He has such a positive impact on this team."
 
Thomas earned All-GNAC Second Team honors for the second consecutive season of his career. The German defender was another key piece of the Yellowjackets lineup, making his impact felt in a big way after returning midyear from a preseason injury. The junior played in 11 matches and started six for the 'Jackets, scoring twice, while MSUB kept four shutouts with Thomas on the field.
 
"Kolja battled injuries earlier in the year, but made an immediate impact on the field for us once he came back," said Cuevas. "He played a huge role in our backline, and even helped us out offensively by finding the back of the net a couple of times."
 
A redshirt freshman goalkeeper, Reiter stepped up to give the Yellowjackets a big season in net. In 14 games, Reiter kept five of the team's shutouts in goal this season, tying for the most in the GNAC and third most in program history. Reiter made a total of 47 saves on the season, averaging 3.6 per game, while finishing with five wins, and a save percentage of 72.3%.
 
"Fred put together a standout season for us this year," said Cuevas. "He put together a number of great performances, coming up with huge saves when the team needed him. His five shutouts are a testament to how dominant he was for us."
 
A junior midfielder, Fedkenhauer took another step forward as a goal scorer in his third season with MSUB, collecting a career-high five goals for the Yellowjackets in 2024. The German played in 17 matches, starting 16 for the 'Jackets, and finished second on the team in both goals and points, earning 11 after adding one assist on the campaign.
 
"Bjarne is an absolute engine in the midfield, and a great captain of this team," said Cuevas. "He was excellent in creating goals for us this year, and played a big role in our organization both offensively and defensively."
 
An Englishmen at the heart of the Yellowjacket's defense, Jones spent more time on the field than any other MSUB player this season, starting all 18 of the Yellowjacket's matches and playing every available minute. The sophomore helped guide the 'Jackets to seven clean sheets as a team this season, best in the conference this season while MSUB on average conceded only 1.44 goals per game. Jones also helped provide an attacking boost for the 'Jackets, scoring a pair of goals.
 
"George played every single minute for us this season, and was a huge part of our defensive success," Cuevas said. "His defensive awareness and skills are a huge boost to the back line."
 
A true freshman from Germany, Senf proved to be an electric addition for MSUB out wide, providing a spark to the 'Jackets attack all season. In 17 games, Senf made 16 starts, racking up four points with a goal and two assists on the season. Senf's first goal of the season was a game winner for MSUB, with the midfielder totaling 30 shots and 11 shots on goal for MSUB in his first season.
 
"Florian played a big role in our attack throughout the season," said Cuevas. "He was one of our most threatening options dribbling on the ball, and was one of the best attackers in the league as a true freshman."