Golbad becomes UC Merced’s first conference Player of the Year

Cody Golbad set a high bar in 2013, his first season of collegiate competition.

The former Golden Valley High School star quickly acclimated to the next level, leading the UC Merced men’s soccer team with nine goals and four assists. The California Pacific Conference took notice and named Golbad the Freshman of the Year.

This season, the striker’s encore performance was even better. With a full year of NAIA experience under his belt and a more talented supporting cast around him, Golbad doubled those numbers in his sophomore campaign. He scored a Cal Pac-high 17 goals and added eight assists to lead the Bobcats to a semifinal appearance in the conference tournament.

Golbad’s goal total tied for 12th in the nation and helped earn him the Cal Pac Player of the Year award and All-America honorable mention.

“Going into the season, I wasn’t focused on individual awards,” Golbad said. “The main focus was winning the Cal Pac title. I knew if we did well as a team, the individual accomplishments would come with it. I really focused on my one-on-one game. I knew coach (Albert Martins) wanted me out on the wing, and I was going to need to beat people off of the dribble to get in behind. Knowing what the college game was like gave me a ton of confidence coming into the season.

“I’m honored, but I feel like a Player of the Year needs to lead their team to a championship, so it’s a little bittersweet.”

The Bobcats hauled in five postseason honors with Martins being named the Coach of the Year, Brian Chongtoua (midfielder) and Andy Galvan (center back) joining Golbad on the Cal Pac first team and Luis Martinez Stucchi (center back) being named to the second team.

Women’s soccer

Maggie Morales gave the Bobcats a security blanket every time she stepped onto the pitch.

The defense was allowed to take chances, knowing the sophomore goalkeeper would turn away more mistakes than not. Morales yielded just 13 goals in 16 games and produced 10 shutouts. She was named the Cal Pac Defensive Player of the Year.

After compiling the best season in school history (10-4-2), five other Bobcats joined Morales on the All-Cal Pac teams. Sophomore center back Desiree Coles successfully returned from a medical redshirt to earn a first-team honor. Roxy Barragan (defender), Daisy Bonilla (midfielder), Elizabeth Cruz (forward), Kelsey McLaurin (defender) and Morales were named to the second team.

Women’s volleyball

It wasn’t the regular season UC Merced was looking for, but Allen McCreary’s squad put it together for the postseason.

The Bobcats became the first team in school history to reach a Cal Pac Tournament title game. Senior outside hitter Kuuipolani Braceros and freshman outside hitter Rachael Schaefer were a big part of that and were named to the All-Cal Pac first team. The Bobcats had six representatives total with setter Genna Garrett making the second team and Jade Garrett, Melinda Gonzalez and Valeria Martinez receiving honorable mention.

Cross country

Sofia Rios secured her spot on the All-Cal Pac first team for the third year in a row when she captured UC Merced’s first Cal Pac title.

Rios headlined four Bobcats earning all-conference honors. Alondra Chavez-Cruz was named to the women’s second team and Luis Ayala and Elias Munoz made the second team for the men.

This story was originally published December 8, 2014 at 9:11 PM with the headline "Golbad becomes UC Merced’s first conference Player of the Year."