AUSTIN, Texas – For the first time in program history, Loyola University Chicago men's soccer has multiple Academic All-America® selections as Billy Hency and Simon Jillson have been selected to the 2022 Division I Academic All-America® First Team and Second Team, respectively, by College Sports Communicators.
 
Hency, a senior supply chain management major from Fenton, Mo., is one of six repeat selections to the Division I Academic All-America First Team from a year ago. He's the second student-athlete in Loyola men's soccer history to earn first team honors, while recording his third total career Academic All-America® honor. With one of the most decorated careers at Loyola, Hency earned Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year this fall and first-team all-conference honors, garnering all-conference recognition in four consecutive seasons with three straight conference player of the year awards. Hency finished the regular season as the A-10 leader in points per game (1.36) and second in points (21), tied for second in assists (7), tied for fourth in goals (7) and tied for fourth in shots on goal (24). He produced four multi-point outings this fall, which tied for the conference lead, along with three game-winning goals.
 
Jillson, a graduate student from Chicago, led a stout Loyola defensive unit while starting all 18 matches at goalkeeper with 37 saves, 0.73 GAA and 0.74 save percentage. He helped the Ramblers post nine shutouts including two shutouts against a pair of nationally ranked opponents, Bowling Green and Dayton. With Jillson leading the back line, the Ramblers didn't surrender a goal in the final 332 minutes of play including all three matches in the A-10 Championship. Loyola ranked among the nation's top 20 leaders in team GAA all season.
 
Hency and Jillson helped guide Loyola to the A-10 Championship finals and closed the season with a nine-game unbeaten streak. The Ramblers finished the program's first A-10 season at 9-2-7 (3-2-3 A-10) and did not lose a home match (7-0-3).
 
The four Academic All-America® teams, totaling 124 players, have a 3.88 average grade-point average with 36 members posting a perfect 4.0 GPA.

 
Loyola Men's Soccer Past Academic All-America® Winners

2007 – Markian Zyga (2nd team)
2010 – Will Martin (2nd team)
2018 – Marius Kullmann (3rd team)
2019 – Marius Kullmann (1st team)
2020 – Billy Hency (2nd team)
2021 – Billy Hency (1st team)
2022 – Billy Hency (1st team) / Simon Jillson (2nd team)