INDIANAPOLIS (11-4-25) – Detroit Mercy men's soccer team captains
John Nino and
Drew Pierson were named to the #HLMSOC All-Academic Team as voted on by each member institution's Faculty Athletics Representative and announced by the league office.
Pierson, a junior from Plymouth, Mich., holds a 3.98 GPA in Business Administration and is also a 2024 Horizon League All-Academic Team selection, 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Team selection, a Horizon League Fall and Spring Honor Roll selection, and a two-time Detroit Mercy Athletic Director Honor Roll selection.
2025 Highlights:
• Pierson leads the team in points (13, T-4th HL) and goals (5, T-4th HL), and assists (3) from his defensive position.
• Anchored the backline to four shutouts this season.
• Recoded team best third assist vs PFW (10/31).
• Tied for second in the Horizon League in game-winning goals (2), scoring consecutive game-winners against Mercyhurst and Butler.
• Recorded a pair of assists on both goals on his birthday in UDM's 2-1 win over #HLMSOC preseason favorite Green Bay (9/20).
• Named Under Armour® #HLMSOC Offensive Player of the Week (9/2)
• Scored second game-winning tally in a 2-0 win at Butler.
• Pierson's first career game-winning goal was a memorable one. He connected on a 52-yard free kick strike in Detroit Mercy's 2-0 win over Mercyhurst, which earned the No. 1 play on the ESPN SCTop-10 on Aug. 24, 2025.
PK Sniper:
• Three of Pierson's goals have come from penalty kicks.
• Added third penalty kick goal at IU Indy (10/25).
• Posted second consecutive penalty kick goal vs NKU (10/4).
• The third goal of the season was a penalty kick at Duquesne (9/30).
Nino, a senior from Northville, Mich., holds a 3.85 GPA in Business Administration and is a 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic (CSC) Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Team selection, Two-time Horizon League Fall and Spring Honor Roll selection, and three-time Detroit Mercy Athletic Director Honor Roll selection.
2025 Highlights:
• Saw action in 16 games with 15 starts.
• Helped anchor the backline to four shutouts on the season.
The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with seasonal Academic All-League Teams in each of its 19 championship sports. To be eligible for Horizon League All-Academic consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, have earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits, and participate in 50 percent of the team's overall contests or 20 percent of overall contests for pitchers. An Honorable Mention is awarded to student-athletes who received at least 25 percent of the votes, but did not make the All-Academic team.
2025 Valeo #HLMSOC All-Academic Team:
Ryan Poling, Cleveland State
John Nino, Detroit Mercy
Drew Pierson, Detroit Mercy
Brady Horn, IU Indianapolis
Cameron Maung-Maung, IU Indianapolis
Jago Thompson-Roberts, IU Indianapolis
Ryan Berghauer, Milwaukee
Steven Boaghe Braniste, Northern Kentucky
Gabriel Baylon, Oakland
Shane Anderson, Purdue Fort Wayne
Fabian Overkamp, RMU
Honorable Mentions:
Chris Album, Green Bay
Jago Thompson-Roberts, IU Indianapolis
Chase Gilley, RMU
Gabe Norris, RMU
Fabian Overkamp, RMU
Felix Ezekwuka, Wright State
