St. Louis Ambush forward Zach Reget has garnered the Major Arena Soccer League’s Rookie of the Year Award for the 2018-19 season. Reget appeared in all 24 Ambush games during the season, tallying 22 goals, 10 assists and 12 blocked shots. Despite his rookie status, Reget displayed a combination of intensity, poise and technical skill on the field and was not one to be intimidated by any opposing veteran players.
The Rookie of the Year honor is Reget’s second postseason honor. On Monday, he was named to the All-MASL Top Newcomers team. Zach joins four other Ambush teammates who have received postseason recognition from the league. Also announced on Monday, forward Justin Stinson and goalkeeper Paulo Nascimento earned as spot on the All-MASL Honorable Mention list, while defender Magui Souza and defender Felipe Silva were named to the All-MASL Top Newcomers list along with Reget.
Ambush CEO and majority owner Shelly Clark said, “This young man showed up to practice two seasons ago and spent that time learning, studying, and mastering the arena game. When Hewerton gave him the opportunity to sign a professional contract last season, he jumped at the opportunity, even though he didn’t play a single game. In the off-season, he trained, he pushed himself, and as we can see, he has risen to the top. Zach has earned his spot on our team, in our Ambush family, and now in the MASL. We’re proud of his accomplishment of being selected as the MASL Rookie of the Year.”
Reget is the third player in the six-year history of the current Ambush franchise to capture the Rookie of the Year award. Odaine Sinclair won the MISL honor for the 2013-14 season and Gordy Gurson grabbed the MASL prize for the 2014-15 season.
Reget is a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin. He played collegiate soccer at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, where he was a four year starter, NCCAA All- American, four time CCAC All- Region Team, two time CCAC first team selection, NCCAA All- Midwest Region first team, Team Captain, four time Offensive Player of the Year, three time Trinity MVP and third on the list of all-time goal scorers. Zach has also worked as a youth club coach for the past three seasons at the Kenosha Crew Soccer Club and is currently coaching a Premier level boys team at the U17 age group. Reget was signed by the Ambush during the 2017-18 season, spending it on the reserve squad.
For the first time, voting for the MASL postseason awards was open to all MASL players, General Managers and Head Coaches, in addition to select MASL Staff. Voting was based on regular season performance. The league announced the winners of the major postseason awards during a press conference Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee, the site of the 2019 Ron Newman Cup Championship Game between the Milwaukee Wave and Monterrey Flash. The one-game winner-take-all contest is slated for this Sunday, May 5 at 5:05 p.m. CT from UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Fans can watch the game live on Eleven Sports and Eleven Sports NEXT. Check out MASLSoccer.com and MASL.tv to see where you can find Eleven Sports in your area.
