Former Shelton High soccer star earns All-Conference

Emmanuel Nicasio, a senior midfielder at The Evergreen State College, has been selected First Team All-Cascade Collegiate Conference in men’s soccer, as voted on by the CCC head coaches. Nicasio was a dynamic and exciting player for the Geoducks this season and in 2023.

The 2024 All-CCC Men’s Soccer Team included 41 players. Fourteen players were chosen for the First Team, with 13 players on the Second Team, and 14 players earning Honorable Mention.

Nicasio, a 2019 graduate of Shelton High School, played in and started 13 games in 2024. He led the Geoducks with six goals, four assists, and 16 total points. He scored the game-winning goal on Sept. 27 against Northwest University with four seconds left, sending Evergreen past the Eagles 2-1.

Throughout the season, Nicasio showed his exceptional ball control, vision, and attacking skills, as he was a key offensive leader for Evergreen. He also excelled in 2023, when he played in 17 games, all starts, after transferring to the Geoducks from Tacoma Community College. In 2023, he scored one goal and one assist. His overall play led to Nicasio being nominated for Men’s Collegiate Sports Star of the Year for the 2024 Olympia & Beyond Sports Awards.

“Manny has been the heart and soul of our team for the past two years,” Evergreen Head Men’s Soccer Coach Steve Schmidt said. “No one is more deserving of this recognition. We asked him to take on a much larger attacking role for us this year and the response was second to none. In fact, he led our team in every attacking category during the conference season: total shots, shots on goal, total goals, total assists and minutes played by a field player. His legacy will be felt in this program and our community for years to come. I’m so excited for him and can’t wait to see what lies ahead!”

Nicasio also plays for FC Olympia, a semiprofessional team that competes in the United Soccer Leagues League Two.