ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Six members of the University of Evansville men's soccer team earned Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference honors, highlighted by three Aces receiving major individual awards, the league office announced Saturday morning.
Pablo Calvete was named MVC Player of the Year, Devin Shepherd earned Forward of the Year honors, and Etienne Ravelli was selected as Defender of the Year. All three were also named to the MVC First Team All-Conference squad. Will Bencic, Alejandro Fernandez, and Izán Redondo rounded out Evansville's selections with Second Team All-Conference honors.
Calvete claimed the MVC's highest individual honor, becoming the first Ace to earn conference Player of the Year recognition since 1991, when Graham Merryweather received the award, and the first to do so as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. He joins Evansville greats Mick Lyon, Rob Paterson, David Weir, and Merryweather as the only players in program history to earn conference Player of the Year honors. Serving as a captain for the Aces in 2026, Calvete started 15 matches and logged 1,194 minutes while scoring three goals to help lead Evansville to a share of the MVC regular-season title. Among his three goals, perhaps none was more significant than his game-winner in the Aces' 1-0 road victory over Western Michigan, which moved Evansville to 2-0 in conference play.
After earning a spot on the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2025, Shepherd established himself as one of the conference's top offensive threats, earning MVC Forward of the Year honors. Shepherd was a consistent force in the Evansville attack, recording four goals and four assists for 12 points on the season. He started all 17 matches for the Aces, logging 1,329 minutes. Shepherd finished the regular season particularly strong, recording at least one point in four of Evansville's final five matches, including a three-point performance in the Aces' 3-0 victory over Bradley on Oct. 30.
In his first season with the Aces, Ravelli made an immediate impact, earning MVC Defender of the Year honors. The selection marks the second consecutive season an Evansville player has received the top MVC defensive award, following Martin Wurschmidt's recognition in 2025, and the fourth time in program history an Ace has earned the distinction. Ravelli appeared in 16 matches, making 15 starts and logging 1,360 minutes. He also contributed two goals on the season, including a spectacular bicycle kick against Lindenwood in September that earned the No. 6 spot on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10.
Bencic earned his first career postseason honor with a Second Team All-Conference selection after serving as a key contributor during his four-year career with the Aces. One of three Aces to start all 17 matches this season, Bencic logged 1,153 minutes and played an important role in helping Evansville secure a share of the MVC regular-season title for the second consecutive year.
Fernandez earned Second Team All-Conference recognition after leading the Aces with five goals this season. He appeared in 15 matches, making 14 starts, and recorded two game-winning goals. His most recent game-winner came in the 84th minute against Belmont, giving Evansville a 2-1 lead and helping secure a share of the regular-season title.
Redondo earned Second Team All-Conference honors in his first season with Evansville after appearing in 17 matches and making 16 starts, totaling 1,228 minutes. He recorded five points on the season, including four in MVC play, scoring a goal in the Aces' 3-1 victory over UIC and adding two assists in the team's 3-0 win over Bradley.
The Aces open MVC Tournament play Wednesday, hosting the winner of the Western Michigan-Drake matchup in the conference semifinal at Arad McCutchan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
