By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — When it comes to post-season awards, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team scored a hat trick.
 
The Cardinals had three players — Josh Balsiger (Camas, Wash.), Chris Beiersdorf (Arlington Heights, Ill.), and Robbie Sobczak (Cloquet, Minn.) — named honorable-mention All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference when the league office handed out its awards Friday morning.
 
Balsiger was the offensive sparkplug for the Cardinals all season, accounting for five of the team's 10 goals in conference play. The junior, who started all 10 MIAC games — one of just four Cardinals to achieve that feat — also recorded an assist for a team-best 11 points. Overall, 2018 was a career year for Balsiger, as the junior recorded a single-season career-high seven goals and added one assist for a career-best 15 points.
 
Beiersdorf, one of three seniors on this year's team — and one of just two players to start every game of the Cardinals' 18-game schedule — delivered one goal and one assist for three points, while helping spearhead a defense that allowed just two goals a game.
 
Sobczak turned up the offensive heat in conference play this season, scoring all three of his goals in MIAC action. The junior midfielder, who missed one game due to injury, closed out the 2018 campaign with seven points overall, adding an assist to go along with his three goals.
 
Carleton swept the conference's top honors, as the Knights' Mark Roth was named Player of the Year, while Bob Carlson was tabbed the conference's Coach of the Year. Carleton also earned the MIAC Men's Soccer Sportsmanship Award.
 
The MIAC also announced the 12th annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for men's soccer, which included the Cardinals' Daniel Nolte (Owatonna, Minn.).