Neves is MCAC's men's soccer player of the year; Balster is coach of year

Dario Neves, a forward on the Minnesota West Community and Technical College men's soccer team, has been selected as the MCAC Men's Soccer Player of the Year. 

Neves, a sophomore, scored eight goals and assisted on eight in his 13 games this season. He led the MCAC in assists as well as shots (40) and ranked second in points with 24.

Jordan Balster, head men's soccer coach for Minnesota West, was named the conference's Men's Soccer Coach of the Year. Balster led his Bluejays' team to the MCAC title, going 5-6-2 overall and 3-1-2 in conference play. The Bluejays were named the No. 1 seed in the Region 13 Tournament and finished as the runner-up following a triple-overtime loss to Riverland.

Other Bluejays named to the men's soccer all-conference team were freshman forward Carlos Castillo, freshman defender Maqui Sandoval, freshman goalkeeper Leo Rumsby-Ferris and freshman midfielder Arjun Jorhal. 

The All-Region 13 Men's Soccer Team has also been announced. Minnesota West players named to that squad were Neves, Castillo and Jorhal. The region's player of the year was freshman defender Nelson Powell of Riverland.

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The Minnesota West Lady Jays basketball team played their first counting game of the 2025-26 season on Sunday, as they lost 67-60 to Des Moines Community College at the Center for Health & Wellness.

The Lady Jays couldn't quite overcome a difficult start, as they trailed 27-5 after the opening quarter. The second period went much better for Minnesota West, and by halftime the deficit had been cut in half, 38-27. Des Moines, however, outscored the Lady Jays 17-14 in quarter number three and then were able to fend off a comeback attempt in the final 10 minutes.

Peyton Riemers, a Minnesota West freshman and a graduate of Harris-Lake Park High School, topped the Lady Jays with a game-best 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-6 on 3-pointers; she was also 6-of-9 on free throws. Minnesota West struggled as a team from the floor, shooting just 34% overall.

Also scoring in double figures Sunday for the Lady Jays were sophomores Maddie Kamm, who had 12 points, and Katrina Schutz, who added 11. Schutz also contributed nine rebounds. Riemers and Izzy Klumper, a freshman and a graduate of Westbrook-Walnut Grove High School, had seven rebounds apiece.

Minnesota West next hosts the Dordt University JV at 6 p.m. Friday and the Northwestern JV at 6 p.m. Saturday.