ASHLAND – Paul Matyas made Southern Oregon University men's soccer history on Monday when it was announced that he was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree.

Matyas, a junior from Anchorage, Alaska, is the 14th Raider ever to earn the Academic All-America distinction and just the fourth to make a first team. He's also the first SOU men's soccer player to be recognized.

Nominated and voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the award is designed to recognize the top student-athletes in the nation for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom.

Matyas was among 11 first-team selections in the NAIA. A defender and midfielder who has started all three years of his SOU career, he owns a 3.98 GPA as an environmental science and policy major.

He was one of the driving forces during a season in which SOU won its first Cascade Conference regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time, finishing with records of 14-7-1 overall and 11-1-1 in the CCC. Matyas led the Raiders in minutes played as they totaled 12 shutouts, the second-most in the NAIA, and while keying the goal-stopping efforts he also recorded one goal and one assist.

Matyas was a second-team All-CCC selection. He was among the team's 13 Academic All-CCC selections.

Of the 14 Academic All-Americans SOU has had since 1981, eight have joined the club in the last four years.