First Team 2023-24 All Stars revealed for Major Arena Soccer League 2

TAMPA, Florida – Several veterans of Major Arena Soccer League play – and one very impressive newcomer to the sport at any level – make up M2’s First Team of All Stars, as announced by Commissioner Chris Economides.

Five of the six helped their team to either the M2 championship or semi-finals earlier this month, with the champion Iowa Demon Hawks having no less than three players selected for the awards, which follow: 

>> GOALKEEPER RAINER HAUSS, Iowa Demon Hawks

 Iowa recorded the fourth perfect regular season in the seven-year history of M2, and then ran the table in the playoffs, with Hauss picking up the win in goal for all 15 games. In fact, the former standout fot the MASL Florida Tropics played all but 25 minutes of the regular season game, and all three games in the post-season. He set an M2 record in the regular season with his .829 saves percentage, and was second in the league in goals against at 3.80. In the playoffs, Hauss was even stingier, posting an .845 saves percentage and a goals against average of 3.82. In two years with the Demon Hawks, he is 18-4 overall with a regular season GAA of 4.70 and career saves percentage of .820. In the MASL, Hauss has appeared in 36 games with the Cedar Rapids Rampage, Orlando SeaWolves and Florida Tropics, backstopping to the Tropics to the 2021-22 MASL championship series with a 3.81 goals against average in that postseason. Overall, his regular season MASL GAA is 5.96, with a savers percentage of .713. 

>> FORWARD BRUNO HENRIQUE, Iowa Demon Hawks

  A teammate of Hauss’ with the Florida Tropics who saw his time there limited by a serious knee injry, Henrique was brilliant in 2023-24 for Iowa, setting a league record for most points in a regular season with 50. He was hardly a one-trick pony, however, scoring 26 goals and adding almost as many assists, 24. In the playoffs, he had six goals and two assists. In two years with the Hawks, he has appeared in 26 regular season and playoff games with 53 goals and 38 assists. With the Tropics, the only MASL team he has played with at this point in his career, he has dressed for 23 games with 14 goals and 12 assists. 

>> FORWARD THIAGO FREITAS, Iowa Demon Hawks

One of the game’s premier playmakers, Freitas already took home Offensive Player of the Year honors given out during the M2’s Championship Weekend in Wichita in early April. Freitas set a league record for assists in a regular season with 26 – part of a 46 point season when paired with his 20 goals. In 21 career regular season start with Iowa, he has an impressive 43 assists to go along with 28 goals. He was terrific in this postseason as well, netting five goals and adding seven assists making him the Demon Hawks leading scorer in the playoffs.  He has a career 79 games in the Major Arena Soccer League, scoring 47 goals and dishing out 65 assists for the Harrisburg Heat, Orlando SeaWolves and Florida Tropics. 

>> FOWARD ALI ALOMARI, Rochester Lancers

 It’s rare at any level of the pro indoor game that an outdoor players makes such a seamless and spectacular conversion inside, but Alomari was all that an more for Rochester this year, helping the Lancers reach the M2 championship game after a regular season which saw him lead Rochester in goals (28) and points (40). Like many Lancers stars past and present, Alomari has his roots in Western New York. He was named the 2019 Western New York boys high school player of the year and earning All New York State first team honors at Lackawanna High School before attending Niagara University. He appeared in 45 games for the Purple Eagles, scoring four goals and adding five assists. Last year he received an opportunity to play for the Yemen men’s national team. His 40 total points in the regular season this year was tied for fourth in overall league scoring. He also added three goals and one assist in the playoffs. 

>> DEFENDER KEVIN TEN EYCK,  Wichita Wings

 Given his quality of play, and longevity of service, M2’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24 has earned his spot in the pantheon of Wichita Wings great. In his carrer prior to joining this interation of the Wings in 2019-20, he played in 92 career games in the Major Arena Soccer League with the Kansas City Comets, Missouri Comets, Wichita Wings and Wichita B 52’s, scoring 41 goals and adding 19 assists. He also had 112 career blocked shots.  Since joining the newest iteration of the Wings five seasons ago, he has played in 59 regular season games with 46 goals and 64 assists. This year, was team’s second leading points getter with nine goals and 19 assists. Ten Eyck was an NAIA All-American selection in his playing career for the  Friends University Falcons. He graduated from Friends in 2009, and currently is an assistant coach there. 

>> DEFENDER DARREN TOBY, Rochester Lancers

Toby was a key defensive cog for the Lancers, who recorded the fifth undefeated regular season in M2 history. The indoor soccer veteran, who has appeared in 213 regular season and playoff games in the Major Arena Soccer League with Utica City FC and the Syracuse Silver Knights, led Rochester in shots blocked this year. In his MASL career, Toby recorded 228 blocked shots. He also helped out offensively as he scored four goals and added six assists. As a unit, the Lancers were one of the tops in M2. They gave up the second fewest goals ever in a season with just 48 allowed. The 2018-19 San Diego Sockers 2 hold the mark with just a stingy 36 goals allowed in 12 starts.  

Still to be announced are M2’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Award winners were picked by league officials in consultation with select team officials and coaches from around the league.