Nov. 8, 2006

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State's Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo./Horizon HS) and Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS) have been named to the Top Drawer Soccer All-Rookie Team. Cardenas earned first-team honors, while Toft was selected to the second team. The selections come a year after Dennis Sanchez was named to the all-Rookie Team.

Cardenas, a defender, is tied for the team lead with six goals and is third on the squad with 12 points. Cardenas, who was called up to the U.S. U-20 National Team Camp earlier this season, has already received numerous accolades in his first season on Montezuma Mesa, including being named the NSCAA National Player of the Week on Nov. 1. In addition, Cardenas has been named to the Soccer America Team of the Week (Nov. 1), College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Oct. 30) and to The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic all-tournament team.

The Pac-10 Player of the Week on Oct. 31, Cardenas has been instrumental to an Aztec defense which has posted six shutouts and limited their Pac-10 opponents to just nine goals, tied for the lowest in the league (Stanford).

Toft. a midfielder, has appeared in all 18 games for SDSU and is tied for first on the squad with four assists. In addition, Toft's eight points are fourth-most on the team.

In late July, Toft was named to the 100 Freshmen to Keep an Eye On list by College Soccer News.

The Aztecs, who are ranked No. 30 in the latest College Soccer News poll, will play at No. 17 UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m.) in the first round of the NCAA tournament.