WINONA, Minn. — It was a busy year between the pipes for Saint Mary's University goalkeeper Daniel Sessler.
 
In his first full season, Sessler faced 131 shots — and made the impossible saves possible on numerous occasions — in his 15 starts for the Saint Mary's men's soccer team.
 
Sessler's efforts did not go unnoticed around the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, either, as the sophomore was named First-Team All-MIAC when the league office announced its post-season awards Tuesday afternoon.
 
And Sessler was not alone atop the post-season podium, as teammate Eli Szymanski (La Crosse, Wis.) earned honorable-mention All-MIAC honors.
 
Sessler started all 10 MIAC games — and played every one of the season's 958:57 conference minutes — compiling a 1.41 goals-against-average and an .824 save percentage. One of two goalkeepers selected First-Team All-MIAC, Sessler stopped a conference-leading 70 of the 85 shots he faced in league play, including equaling his career-high with a 12-save effort in a 1-1 tie against Macalester on Oct. 26.
 
For the season, Sessler started 15 of the team's 17 contests, amassing 106 saves — tops among MIAC goalkeepers — and closing out the year with a 1.60 GAA and .809 save percentage. Sessler finished with 10 or more saves three times on the season — stopping 10 shots against Concordia on Oct. 2, and adding 12-save performances against both UW-Eau Claire on Sept. 25 and Macalester on Oct. 26.
 
Playing in his final season as a Cardinal, Szymanski scored a pair of goals for four points — while also leading the team in shots (23) and shots on goal (10) — in 10 conference games. Overall, Szymanski closed out 2021 with a team-leading seven goals and 15 points and was one of just three SMU players to start all 17 contests.
 
Concordia's Telvin Vah was named the MIAC's Offensive Player of the Year, Gustavus' Jared Hecht earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and St. Olaf's Victor Gaulmin was selected MIAC Midfielder of the Year. Ole freshman Shea Bechter collected MIAC Rookie of the Year accolades, and St. Olaf coach Travis Wall was tabbed MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC also announced the annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for men's soccer, which included Saint Mary's R.J. Vazquez (Antioch, Ill.). Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.