Winter sports are here, but it’s not too late to look back and highlight some of the best fall sports athletes from Fort Lewis College.
The Skyhawks’ fall sports teams had up-and-down seasons. Football took a step back with injuries at quarterback; men’s soccer had a disappointing end to the season, missing the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament and NCAA tournament.
However, volleyball improved and had its best season since 2010 in head coach Justin Wong’s first season; women’s soccer had its best season since 2015.
Regardless of which teams under-and overperformed, there were still quality players on each FLC team, and that showed up in various key statistical categories. It’s easy not to know how these athletes compare to others in their conference; statistically comparing them is a great way to do that.
Since there are between 10 and 15 schools in the RMAC, depending on the fall sport, it was important to make the cutoff for this list the top five in each key statistical category. A lot of solid players can make the top 10 in certain categories, but only the great ones can finish inside the top five.
All of FLC’s fall sports teams are done with their regular seasons, but these rankings could slightly change with some RMAC teams still in the NCAA tournament. Here are all the FLC fall sports athletes who rank inside the top five in key statistical categories:
Zachary Gaumont in average receiving yards per catch
Gaumont has been a threat for defenses to worry about over the last few seasons. He’s one of the fastest athletes in the RMAC in track and field, and it shows on the football field.
The junior wide receiver from Mesa, Arizona, is third in the RMAC in average receiving yards per catch at 20.6.
Gaumont’s speed creates two problems for defenses. One problem is that he can take a short pass the distance by breaking tackles and past defenders. Gaumont can also get behind a defense for a deep ball. Regardless of how he did it, Gaumont was one of the RMAC’s best at making big plays; his longest catch was 82 yards.
After finishing with a team-high 577 receiving yards and four touchdowns, Gaumont will be a key piece if FLC’s offense can improve next season.
Jacob Penney in total tackles, tackles for loss
Anyone who follows FLC football isn’t surprised by Penney being in the top 10 in tackling. The redshirt junior linebacker has been the leader of the FLC defense with his incredible ability to bring the other team’s best players to the ground.
Penney will finish 2025 as the top tackler in the RMAC with 150 total tackles (65 total, 85 assisted). He has over 40 tackles more than any other RMAC player and nearly 100 more than any of his teammates. Penney also leads Division II in total tackles. Penney finished tied-fifth in the conference with 11 tackles for loss.
Consistency was key for Penney as he finished with at least 10 total tackles in each game this season, including a season-high 21 total tackles against Colorado Mesa on Oct. 25.
Oddly enough, FLC football head coach and Penney will hope he’s not as high on these lists next season. Penney is a great talent, but his tackle numbers are also helped because the FLC defense was on and couldn’t get off the field so much this season.
Alessio Andreottola in shots per game, shots on goal per game, assists per game, points per game
The French freshman forward is one of the best athletes to step on the FLC campus as a freshman in recent memory.
Andreottola made defenders look slow and silly every game he played in with his speed, skill and soccer IQ. He entertained the fans at Dirks Field at FLC with jaw-dropping moves every game and was a joy to watch.
It’s not surprising Andreottola won RMAC Player of the Year and RMAC Freshman of the Year after his stellar season in which he led the conference with 3.94 shots per game; he was third with 1.63 shots on goal per game; he led Division II and the conference with 17 assists (more than double any other player in the conference); Andreottola led the RMAC in points per game with 1.81.
Andreottola was very consistent throughout this season, with points in 13 out of the 15 games he played in. He had his season-high of four points in a game twice, with four assists against Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 20 and two goals against Colorado Christian on Oct. 3.
If FLC fans didn’t see Andreottola this fall, that’s unfortunate because they won’t see him again in an FLC uniform. Andreottola entered the transfer portal and committed to Division I Clemson University on Wednesday.
It’s unfortunate Andreottola’s incredible season didn’t result in him playing in the postseason, as the Skyhawks’ defense struggled all season.
Lorenz Guintini in shots per game, shots on goal per game, goals per game, game-winning goals per game, points per game
If Andreottola was Batman, then Guintini was definitely his Robin.
Guintini, another French freshman forward, was on the end of a lot of Andreottola’s assists. Guintini helped the FLC offense become one of the best units in the conference with his elite finishing ability and soccer IQ, especially for a freshman.
He finished second in the conference behind Andreottola in shots per game with 3.24; he was second in shots on goal per game with 1.71; Guintini led the conference with 13 goals and .765 goals per game; he was second with .294 game-winning goals per game and was second behind Andreottola with 1.76 points per game.
Guintini wasn’t as consistent as Andreottola, but still finished with points in 11 games this season, including a season-high three goals and an assist against Northwest Nazarene.
Unlike Andreottola, there is a chance that Guintini could be back at FLC next season to continue his scoring ways at Dirks Field.
Francisco Pinto in assists per game
Another fantastic freshman, Pinto finished his season fourth in the conference with .353 assists per game (six total).
The freshman midfielder from Portugal is small in stature at 5-foot-8-inches and 130 pounds, but looms large on the field with his playmaking and soccer IQ. Pinto delivered many beautiful passes and was a part of some fantastic combination play that soccer fans love.
Jenna Salazar in shots per game, shots on goal per game, game-winning goals per game
FLC’s women’s soccer team was known for its fantastic defense this season, but when the offense got it going, Salazar likely had a hand in it.
The junior forward was FLC’s most reliable scorer and passer for the Skyhawks. Salazar’s soccer IQ and timing stood out in key moments for FLC.
She’s second in the conference with three shots per game, tied fourth in the conference with 1.32 shots on goal per game and fourth with .211 game-winning goals per game.
Looking at next season, FLC’s defense will have some questions with most of its starting defenders gone, but Salazar should lead an experienced offensive unit in her senior season. More hat tricks like her season-high three goals against New Mexico Highlands on Oct. 10 could be on the horizon.
Trinity Lujan in goals against average, saves percentage, shutouts per game
Lujan had some big shoes to fill this season to replace two fifth-year goalkeepers, Riley Bravin and Kaitlyn Rosenbaum. It’s safe to say Lujan stepped up to the challenge.
As a freshman behind a veteran defense, Lujan looked more like a senior all year, looking confident and in control when she did face some shots.
FLC had one of the best defenses in the country and had a 10-game undefeated run late in the season. Lujan was a big part of it, ranking second in the conference with 0.38 goals against average, second with a .897 save percentage and second with a .632 shutout percentage.
Lujan won RMAC Freshman of the Year for her efforts. She’ll be tested as a sophomore next season with a mostly new defense in front of her.
Alyx Daugherty in digs per set
FLC volleyball made its return to the RMAC tournament for the first time since 2022, and the Skyhawks couldn’t have done it without Daugherty.
The freshman defensive specialist had a fantastic season for the Skyhawks, constantly keeping points alive with composed digs that led to kills. Daugherty led the conference with 4.99 digs per set. Daugherty had at least 20 digs in nine matches this season, including a staggering 40 digs in a loss to MSU Denver on Nov. 7.
FLC volleyball’s future looks bright with lots of potential returners next season, and Daugherty is a big reason why.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
