LOS ANGELES -- A record-setting ending to a record-setting career has earned Alexander Brems a top California Collegiate Athletic Association honor.

Brems has been named the CCAA Male Athlete of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday. He is just the third Golden Eagle male - and first since 1996 - to claim the award, which is voted on by the 13 conference sports information staffs across the league. 

A second-year transfer from Odense, Denmark, Brems was a key figure in Cal State LA's record-breaking season. The Golden Eagles closed the season as CCAA and Super Region 4 champions as the squad, with Brems between the pipes, advanced to the national championship match for the first time since 1981. Closing the year with a 19-1-3 overall record, the team claimed the highest winning percentage in Cal State LA program history (.891). Individually, Brems ended his two-year career with 28 shutouts, also setting a new program benchmark. 

Brems set the national standard in shutouts this season, with 14. His stingy goals against average mark of 0.42 led the conference and was second in NCAA Division II and his .848 save percentage ranked fifth in the country.

With 56 saves on the season, two postseason moments stand out. First, he stopped a penalty kick in the opening minutes of a second-round NCAA playoff game against Midwestern State that the Golden Eagles went on to win, 3-0. The stop came with the game still scoreless and seemed to energize the Cal State LA offense, which went on to score a pair of goals before the half.

Then, in the next round, Brems stopped the first penalty-kick try by St. Mary's in the shootout after the game ended in a 1-1 tie. After Brems' stop, the Golden Eagles converted in their next four attempts to secure a 5-3 advantage and move onto the next round. 

Brems' senior season came with many accolades including United Soccer Coaches Division II Player of the Year, CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year, and unanimous First Team All-American status to go along with the league's Male Athlete of the Year award.

Brems is just the third Cal State LA male earning the CCAA's year-ending award, joining track and field athletes Sam Turner (1977-78) and Tambi Wenj (95-96) as honorees. The Golden Eagles women have enjoyed five selections, also all track and field competitors, with the most being Nicole Duncan in 2001-02. Brems stands as the eighth Cal State LA representative to take top conference honors in program history.

 CCAA Athletes of of the Year >>>