STANFORD, Calif. - Senior captains Keegan Hughes and Cam Cilley both earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region First Team, the organization announced earlier this week. This marks the 14th-straight season Stanford has had at least one all-region selection, and the tenth year in a row with at least two.
Hughes and Cilley each earn the award for the first time in their careers after dominant senior campaigns.
Hughes started all 20 games for the Cardinal, including its second and third round NCAA Tournament matches. He added individual hardware to his resume this season, earning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award, the first for a Stanford player since Tanner Beason in 2019, as well as a First Team All-Pac-12 selection. The defender also garnered a spot among the top-15 players in the nation as a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy.
Hughes snagged a pair of weekly awards as well, as he was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (Sept. 27) and the College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Sept. 27). For his efforts in the classroom, Hughes earned CSC Academic All-District honors.
The six-foot-three defender led a stout Cardinal defense that recorded nine shutouts during the regular season, the most in the Pac-12. Hughes was a dominant force on the back line, guiding the Cardinal to the top ten in shutout percentage in the NCAA (10th, 0.500), 22nd in goal differential (+23), and 26th in goals against average (.889) during the regular season.
Hughes also contributed four goals on the year, scoring the match winner against UCSB, the late equalizer against No. 1 Washington to earn a draw, against Pacific, and against High Point in the NCAA Tournament. He assisted one goal as well, setting up fellow captain Cam Cilley's match-winning goal against California.
Cilley, Stanford's second captain, had a career-best season in multiple statistical categories. The midfielder tallied his first goal of his career this year against California, and went on to score six total goals, the second-most on the team this season.
Cilley also set a career-high in assists this season, dishing five for a total of 17 points, the third-best mark on the team. The engine of Stanford's midfield, Cilley took over penalty kick duties and was perfect from the spot, going three for three on the year.
For his efforts this season, the Alamo, California native joined Hughes on the All-Pac-12 First Team and also was named a CSC Academic All-District Honoree.