PAC Release
TRAFFORD, Pa. -- Senior midfielder
Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) was tabbed the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was one of six Allegheny College student-athletes to earn 2026 All-PAC honors.
Gruca headlined Allegheny's honorees with a spot on the All-PAC First Team for a third year in a row. He was joined by All-PAC Second Teamer
Colin Hill (Volant, Pa./Wilmington) and honorable mentions
Cole Bowser (Forest Hill, Md./John Carroll),
Ben Keefer (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley),
Nathan Tolliver (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), and
Billy Sprott (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area).
One of the conference's most impactful players on the pitch, Gruca followed up a strong junior season with an impressive senior campaign. He once again reached the 30-point mark and ranks among the top point-getters in the PAC. The fourth-year midfielder led the 2026 PAC champions in points (30) and goals (12), and was tied for the team lead in assists (6) and game-winning goals (3). He enters the national tournament riding a five-game point streak and has earned at least one point in 10 of the 12 games during Allegheny's unbeaten streak. Gruca posted a season-high five points (2g-1a) in a 6-3 win over Waynesburg University on Oct. 10.
Over the last four seasons, Gruca has built a reputation as one of the best soccer players in school history. Now a four-time All-PAC selection, he ranks fifth all-time with 85 career points, needing just one more to tie Scott Falso '91 for fourth place. He's also tied for fifth in career points (30) and tied for second in career assists (25), and is one of only six active players in all divisions of NCAA soccer with at least 25 goals and assists.
Hill, a junior center back, was voted to the All-PAC Second Team after starting all 20 games for the Gators. The 6-foot-2 defender posted career highs across the board with 1,692 minutes played, four points, and two assists. He also netted his first collegiate goal in Allegheny's 3-1 win against Thiel College on Oct. 21.
Bowser earned his first-ever postseason award as an All-PAC Honorable Mention. The third-year midfielder finished second on the team in points (17) and goals (7), but made his most significant contributions in the second half of the season. He scored the game-winner in the 82nd minute against Franciscan University on Oct. 7, netted two goals against Bethany on Oct. 28, and lifted Allegheny to a double-overtime win over Geneva College in the PAC semifinals with a goal in the 109th minute. Bowser also represented Allegheny on the PAC Sportsmanship Team, which was established to recognize student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
Solidifying Allegheny's midfield all year long were Tolliver and Keefer. The duo started all 20 games, with Tolliver logging 1,528 minutes of action and Keefer playing 1,435 minutes. The defensive-minded Tolliver helped the Gators earn five clean sheets, including four across the 12-game unbeaten streak. Keefer finished with a career-high 10 points, including a team-high-tying six assists.
Sprott made up the other half of the team's physical center back duo alongside Hill. The 6-foot-4 sophomore played every minute in 16 of his 18 starts, including both double-overtime contests during the PAC tournament. He used his large frame to contribute offensively, too, scoring in back-to-back matches against Saint Vincent and Bethany in late October.
