COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) announced their 2024 Men's Soccer All-America teams and Ron Lenz National Player of the Year on Tuesday afternoon with senior midfielder Dani Barajas being named as a member of the All-America Second Team.
 
Senior forward Peter Plougmand of Mars Hill University was named the 2024 Ron Lenz National Player of the Year after he recorded 25 goals, 6 assists, and 56 points while leading the Lions to a 10-4-5 overall record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament.
 
The D2CCA All-America Teams and Ron Lenz National Player of the Year were nominated and voted on by the Sports Information Directors from NCAA Division II conferences across the nation.
 
Coming off an incredible senior season in which he led the Mountain Lions with 12 goals, five assists, and 29 points, Barajas becomes just the fifth student-athlete in UCCS men's soccer program history to earn All-America honors. He joins a prestigious group of program alumni that includes Greg Meyer (1997), James Roberts (2014 – Second Team), Alex VonHolle (2018 & 2019 – Second Team), and Alex Andersson (2021 – First Team).
 
An All-RMAC First Team and D2CCA All-South Central Region First Team selection, Barajas broke out in a big way during his senior season as he emerged as one of the most formidable offensive players in all of NCAA Division II. The native of Edwards, Colo., finished the season as the RMAC leader in total goals while also ranking second overall in total points with 29. On the national scale, Barajas sits inside the top 20 for total goals and total points on an individual basis, ranking tied for 15^th in points and tied for 17^th in goals. His 2024 campaign will go down in the record book as one of the most successful single season performances in program history as he finished the year tied for the sixth-most total goals and the eighth-most total points. Barajas will finish his two-year career at UCCS with 14 goals, seven assists, and 35 points across 39 games played and nearly 2,200 minutes of action on the pitch.
 
The Ron Lenz National Player of the Year award was named for long-time South Dakota State sports information director Ron Lenz in 2008. Lenz was instrumental in the foundation of the NCAA Division II All-America program, which honors outstanding student-athletes across eight NCAA Division II sports.

Sports information directors from NCAA Division II schools and conferences selected the three D2CCA All-America teams. The process begins at the regional level with all first-team all-region picks advancing to the national ballot. A total of 39 student-athletes representing 32 different institutions filled out the three teams. This is the 18th year that the teams have been selected since the All-America program in 2006.

The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
 
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