Noah Billingsley Was a Force in UCSB Soccer’s Run to NCAA Elite 8

UCSB’s Noah Billingsley had an unforgettable senior season as a soccer player.

It started with him helping his native New Zealand Under-23 team qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and continued with UCSB recording two huge upsets in the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the Elite 8 for the first time since 2006. His year was capped off by being named a United Soccer Coaches’ NCAA All-American and becoming a first-round pick in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

Billingsley is being honored as the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table’s College Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Round Table is recognizing Billingsley and all the college and high school athletes of the year from the fall and winter seasons through a virtual Evening With The Athletes. There are no awards for spring sports athletes because their season was cut short by COVID-19.

The award winners are being presented through the Round Table’s social media platforms Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and on the Noozhawk.com Sports Page.

Billingsley also got a call up to play for the full New Zealand Men’s National Team, following in the footsteps of past Gaucho greats Tony Lochhead and Michael Boxall.

He will join Boxall as a teammate on Minnesota United FC after being selected as the 18th overall pick in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft.

Billingsley became the 18th Gaucho player taken in the SuperDraft and the seventh to go in the first round.

Originally a forward when he arrived at UCSB, Billingsley was moved to an outside back position and flourished.

“The change in positions occurred midway through his junior year, when a decision was made to put him into a position that would take more advantage of his physical qualities — strong, athletic, and incredibly fit,” said UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg.

His endless energy and athleticism were keys to the Gauchos’ NCAA Tournament shutout wins at No. 12 St. Mary’s (4-0) and fifth-seeded and eight-time national champion Indiana (1-0 in double overtime). He scored the game-winning goal against St. Mary’s.

“Noah grew into the position, so that by his senior year, he was the best defender on the field and also was an important part of the offensive plan,” said Vom Steeg.

Billingsley’s play earned him Big West Defender of the Year honors and a place on the All-American Team, making him the 16th All-American in program history. Lochhead (2004) and Boxall (2010) also are on the list.

Billingsley was a part of a tough UCSB defense that posted 12 shutouts.

He also was a threat in the attack with his runs up the wing and on set pieces. He had three assists in a win over Cal State Fullerton, the first triple-assist performance by a Gaucho since central midfielder Memo Arzate in 2003.

— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.