Ryan Palmbaum

MARQUETTE — Freshman Ryan Palmbaum of the Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team was named to the All-Midwest Region Second Team by the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Assocation.

The GLIAC Freshman of the Year led the Wildcats in all three scoring categories, notching eight goals and six assists for 22 points.

Palmbaum, a native of Rocklin, California, included two game-winning goals in his total, along with the second-fastest hat trick in NCAA D-2 history when he scored three goals in less than four minutes in a victory at Upper Iowa on Oct. 18.

His eight goals are second-most in a season in the four-year history of the program, while his six assists and 55 total shots were both NMU season records.

He also helped the Wildcats to 8-11 overall and 7-7 GLIAC records, both sets of wins the most ever for Northern, which reached the league tournament for the third straight season.