Senior wingback Noah Billingsley of the UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team has been named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team, making him the 16th All-American in program history.
Billingsley is the first Gaucho to earn a spot on the list since Nick DePuy in 2015. He becomes UCSB’s third New Zealand native to achieve All-American status, following Tony Lochhead in 2004 and Michael Boxall in 2010.
His selection to the third team is the latest in a string of postseason accolades that includes a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region First Team, the Big West Defensive Player of the Year award, and a spot on the All-Big West First Team.
The senior defender led a stout Gaucho defense that posted 12 shutouts, playing in nine of them after missing games due to international duty with New Zealand U-23 at the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) U-23 Championship in Fiji.
Billingsley also demonstrated a knack for offense with a goal and six assists for eight points. He scored the game-winning goal in UCSB’s 4-0 victory over Saint Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament Second Round and had three assists in an Oct. 12 victory over Cal State Fullerton – the first triple-assist performance by a Gaucho since Memo Arzate in 2003.