Berto Palmer Named Defender of the Year, Other Comets Standouts Honored in MASL Awards

April 19, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kansas City Comets had four players honored by the Major Arena Soccer League for their outstanding performance throughout the 2023-24 regular season.

Berto Palmer was named MASL Defender of the Year; Palmer and forward Zach Reget were named to the MASL Elite Six; and goalkeeper Nicolau Neto and defender Chad Vandegriffe were named All-MASL Honorable Mention.

Berto Palmer – Defender of the Year; Elite Six

Palmer is the first player to be named Defender of the Year in Kansas City’s indoor soccer history. He is the second player in league history to win MASL Defender of the Year twice, previously winning it in 2021 with the Empire Strykers organization.

Palmer set an MASL single-season record with 86 blocks in just 19 games this season, averaging 4.5 blocks per game while producing six goals and nine assists on the offensive end. Palmer also became the first player ever to record 300 career blocks in the MASL and currently holds the record with 339. This is Palmer’s third time being named to the MASL Elite Six after earning the recognition in 2021 and 2021-22 with Empire’s organization.

Zach Reget – Elite Six

Zach Reget has earned a spot on his first-ever MASL Elite Six. The 2018-19 Rookie of the Year tallied 48 points from 35 goals and 13 assists this year, the fifth double-double season of his career.

The Golden Boot co-winner tallied 35 goals in 22 games, tying Empire’s Marco Fabian for most in the MASL. Reget scored in 20 of the 22 games he played in and tallied a hat trick in four games.

Nicolau Neto – All-MASL Honorable Mention

This is Nicolau Neto’s second time earning an All-MASL Honorable Mention. Neto had a sensational year for the Comets, setting personal records with a 4.68 goals against average and stopping 75% of shots faced.

Neto marked a terrific campaign with a career-high 14 wins, winning 67% of his games. The Brazilian helped the Comets to allow four or fewer goals nine times this season.

Chad Vandegriffe – All-MASL Honorable Mention

Chad Vandegriffe is an All-MASL honoree for the fourth consecutive season. The Comet newcomer has become an integral part of the Comets’ defense but also lent a helping hand offensively to set a career-high eight assists.

Vandegriffe’s stunning 61-block season is the third-most in league history. He also became the second player to join the MASL’s 300-block club in the final game of the regular season.

Fans can welcome…