2025 ACAC Men's Soccer Rookies of the Year
Lethbridge, AB (October 23, 2025) –
North Male Rookie of the Year | VLAD SATSEVICH | NAIT Ooks:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Vladyslav Satsevich of the NAIT Ooks has been selected as the 2025 ACAC North Men’s Soccer Rookie of the Year.
During his rookie season with the NAIT Ooks, Vladyslav Satsevich made an immediate impact on the pitch. The first-year defender appeared in nine games, starting seven, and showcased both defensive strength and offensive skill. Despite playing primarily on the back line, Satsevich tallied an impressive four goals and three assists for 11 points, including one game-winning goal during the regular season. His ability to transition quickly from defense to attack made him one of the Ooks’ most dynamic players this season.
Head Coach Jeff Paulus shared high praise for Satsevich’s contributions, stating:
“Vlad is a player that brings a level of intensity to training and games that is rarely seen in our environment. He is a fantastic 1v1 defender and a threat going forward, as witnessed with his four goals on the season. His commitment to winning and drive to succeed have left a mark (figuratively and literally) on our program.”
Originally from Kahovka, Ukraine, Vladyslav is currently enrolled in the English as a Second Language program at NAIT. Standing at 5’8”, he has quickly become known for his competitiveness, discipline, and strong work ethic, all qualities that have set the tone for his young career with the Ooks.
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2025 ACAC Men’s Soccer Championship hosted by Lethbridge Polytechnic in Lethbridge, Alberta.
The Rookie of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Alberta Soccer.
South Male Rookie of the Year | ALEKSA BIJELIC | Medicine Hat Rattlers (MHC):
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Aleksa Bijelic of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers has been selected as the 2025 ACAC South Male Soccer Rookie of the Year.
As a physical, fast, and powerful forward, Aleksa Bijelic brought the offensive strength that the Medicine Hat College Rattlers had been looking for over the past year. A left-footed forward, Aleksa made his presence known in the league right from day one, scoring four goals in two games.
An excellent striker during the games, but also a great team leader. Even being a first year, Aleksa has a sense of leadership who helped led the Rattlers to their winning record. As vocal presence, Aleksa Bijelic was an essential piece for the Rattlers between practices, travels and games.
Terry Ballard, Medicine Hat College Rattlers Manager of Athletics and Recreation, shared that “Aleksa was recruited to come to Medicine Hat College and Rattlers men’s soccer from Regina and has been outstanding for the team all season. Aleksa is a difference maker on the men’s soccer team, as the excitement level rises as soon as the ball comes close to him – with expectations high that something great will happen. Aleksa works extremely hard to create offence, finishing second in the league with 11 goals and helping the Rattlers to a 9 win, 1 lose record for second place and a berth in the ACAC Men’s Soccer Championships. Aleksa has made a huge impact on the Rattlers men’s soccer program as a first-year student-athlete, and we all look forward to watching Aleksa develop and get even better.”
Hailing from Moose Jaw, SK, Aleksa is in his first year of the Business Administration Diploma program. After a stellar rookie year in the ACAC, Aleksa looks forward to improving his numbers even further during the ACAC Men’s Soccer Championships.
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2025 ACAC Male Championship hosted by Lethbridge Polytechnic in Lethbridge, AB.
The Rookie of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Alberta Soccer.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Emily Peterson, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
emilyp@acac.ab.ca