All-Decade MVP: Wira Wama
Wama was electric and flamboyant as a student-athlete. He is the most decorated player in the decade, earning the title of NCCAA DII National Player of the Year after his final season. He is the only four-time NCCAA All-American in program history, and he helped secure the program's only NCCAA DII National Championship with back-to-back game-winning goals in the national semifinal and final.
The Papua New Guinean earned the NCCAA DII Game Plan 4 LIFE/Kyle Rote, Jr. Award in 2016 and AD3I 1st-Team All-Independent honors four years in a row. He scored 43 goals in his career - the most of anyone in the NCAA era of Maranatha Men's Soccer - and he sits at second all-time (behind Ross Boucher's 49 goals) for career goals in program history.
Wira Wama Honors | Year | |||
NCCAA DII National Player of the Year | 2016 | |||
NSCAA All-Wisconsin 1st Team (NCAA DIII) | 2016 | |||
NCCAA DII 1st-Team All-American | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
NSCAA/USC All-American: NCCAA DII | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
NCCAA DII North Region Player of the Year | 2016 | |||
AD3I 1st-Team All-Independent | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
NCCAA DII 1st-Team Regional Selection | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
NCCAA DII Game Plan 4 LIFE/Kyle Rote, Jr. | 2016 | |||
James O'Dell Leadership Award | 2016 | |||
NCCAA DII National Tournament MVP | 2014 | |||
AD3I Offensive MVP | 2013 | |||
Wira Wama Career Stats | Number | Rank | ||
Career Goals | 43 | 2nd | ||
Career Assists | 17 | 8th | ||
Career Points | 103 | 3rd | ||
Career Goals/Game | 0.63 | 3rd | ||
Career Assists/Game | 0.25 | 7th |
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Needless to say, Wama found his comfort zone on the field after stepping onto U.S. soil for the first time just weeks before preseason in 2013. From his first time seeing snow, to his first time playing in the snow, to the camaraderie on the team, Wama has a trove of memories.
"My best memory is playing at nationals in Florida," Wama said. "But my 'wonderful' memory is getting to know the guys, Coach [Pill] with his coaching staff, and building relationships - [one of my best memories] is playing with the guys. [An] unforgettable memory is playing the [NCCAA regional] semifinal up at Northland in the snow for the first time."
Wama's influence on his teammates went deep, as his teammates voted him as the James O'Dell Leadership Award recipient at the end of his senior season.
For more on the all-decade MVP selection process, CLICK HERE
For a complete list of the all-decade MVPs (as they are announced), CLICK HERE