Nov. 9, 2010
GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina, which earned the top seed in the upcoming ACC Men’s Soccer Championship after registering an undefeated conference season (7-0-1), led all schools with six student-athletes on the 2010 All-ACC first and second teams, announced Tuesday by the league office. Eight of the ACC’s nine men’s soccer programs were represented, while eight programs were also accounted for on the league’s All-Freshmen squad.
Maryland, the No. 2 seed for the four-day conference tournament, placed five student-athletes on the All-ACC teams, including a league-high four on the first-team. Fourth-seeded Duke followed with four honorees, including the top two individual accolades – 2010 ACC Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Finley and Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Wenger.
Finley, a sophomore striker, paces the Duke offense with a school record and league-high 17 goals, including five in conference play. The 2009 All-Freshman selection dominated the ACC in shots (48, 6.00 pg) and ranked second in goals (5, 0.62). Wenger, a sophomore center back that was named the 2009 ACC Freshman of the Year, led a Blue Devil back line that allowed 1.12 goals in league action and had only nine goals against.
Joining Finley and Wenger on this year’s 11-member ACC first team are Boston College sophomore Charlie Rugg, Duke senior Cole Grossman, the Maryland foursome of senior Jason Herrick and juniors Matt Kassel, Zac MacMath and Casey Townsend, the North Carolina senior duo of Jalil Anibaba and Michael Farfan, and Virginia junior Brian Ownby.
Four Tar Heels and a trio of Wake Forest student-athletes highlight the 2010 All-ACC second team. Boston College sophomore Kyle Bekker, Duke sophomore James Belshaw, Maryland sophomore Ethan White, North Carolina seniors Eddie Ababio and Stephen McCarthy, North Carolina junior Kirk Urso and sophomore Enzo Martinez, NC State senior Tyler Lassiter, Virginia Tech senior Clarke Bentley, and the Wake Forest threesome of senior Akira Fitzgerald, junior Anthony Arena and sophomore Andy Lubahn, make up this year’s All-ACC second team.
North Carolina head coach Elmar Bolowich earned his second-ever ACC Coach of the Year honor, an award that has gone to the Tar Heel leader on three occasions (Marvin Allen in 1975, Anson Dorrance in 1977 and Bolowich in 2000). Under the guidance of Bolowich, North Carolina claimed this year’s ACC regular-season crown with an undefeated conference slate, after sharing the title last season with Wake Forest. With a career record of 277-142-37, Bolowich has the most wins in the history of the Tar Heel program and the second-most among active ACC head coaches.
Eight schools were represented on the All-Freshmen team, paced by Wake Forest with three rookie midfielders. Maryland midfielder Patrick Mullins, who scored his first career game-winner this season against then-ranked No. 2 Connecticut, was named the 2010 ACC Freshman of the Year. Mullins leads all Terrapin underclassmen with four goals, ranking fourth in scoring on Maryland’s team, and is among the top 10 ACC players in assists in conference play (2). Joining the young midfielder on the squad are Boston College’s Chris Ager, Clemson goalkeeper Cody Mizell, Duke’s Sebastien Ibeagha and Jonathan Aguirre, North Carolina’s Bruno Castro, NC State’s Sonny Mukungu, Virginia’s Brian Span, and the Demon Deacon trio of Jared Watts, Luca Gimenez and Kyle Emerson.
For complete coverage of the 2010 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship, including the bracket and game results, visit theACC.com. Also make sure to check out the 2010 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship page or follow ACC men’s soccer on Twitter @theaccchamps. All games throughout the four-day tournament will be available on the ACC Network, which can be found on theACC.com, while the championship game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net.
| 2010 All-Conference First Team |
| Charlie Rugg |
Boston College |
So. |
Forward |
| Ryan Finley |
Duke |
So. |
Forward |
| Cole Grossman |
Duke |
Sr. |
Midfielder |
| Andrew Wenger |
Duke |
So. |
Defender |
| Jason Herrick |
Maryland |
Sr. |
Forward |
| Matt Kassel |
Maryland |
Jr. |
Midfielder |
| Zac MacMath |
Maryland |
Jr. |
Goalkeeper |
| Casey Townsend |
Maryland |
Jr. |
Forward |
| Jalil Anibaba |
North Carolina |
Sr. |
Defender |
| Michael Farfan |
North Carolina |
Sr. |
Midfielder |
| Brian Ownby |
Virginia |
Jr. |
Forward |
| 2010 All-Conference Second Team |
| Kyle Bekker |
Boston College |
So. |
Midfielder |
| James Belshaw |
Duke |
So. |
Goalkeeper |
| Ethan White |
Maryland |
So. |
Defender |
| Eddie Ababio |
North Carolina |
Sr. |
Defender |
| Enzo Martinez |
North Carolina |
So. |
Midfielder |
| Stephen McCarthy |
North Carolina |
Sr. |
Midfielder |
| Kirk Urso |
North Carolina |
Jr. |
Midfielder |
| Tyler Lassiter |
NC State |
Sr. |
Defender |
| Clarke Bentley |
Virginia Tech |
Sr. |
Midfielder |
| Anthony Arena |
Wake Forest |
Jr. |
Defender |
| Andy Lubahn |
Wake Forest |
So. |
Forward |
| Akira Fitzgerald |
Wake Forest |
Sr. |
Goalkeeper |
| 2010 All-Freshmen Team |
| Chris Ager |
Boston College |
Defender |
| Cody Mizell |
Clemson |
Goalkeeper |
| Sebastien Ibeagha |
Duke |
Defender |
| Jonathan Aguirre |
Duke |
Midfielder |
| Patrick Mullins |
Maryland |
Midfielder |
| Bruno Castro |
North Carolina |
Midfielder |
| Sonny Mukungu |
NC State |
Defender |
| Brian Span |
Virginia |
Midfielder |
| Jared Watts |
Wake Forest |
Midfielder |
| Luca Gimenez |
Wake Forest |
Midfielder |
| Kyle Emerson |
Wake Forest |
Midfielder |
| Offensive Player of the Year: Ryan Finley, Duke |
| Defensive Player of the Year: Andrew Wenger, Duke |
| Freshman of the Year: Patrick Mullins, Maryland |
| Coach of the Year: Elmar Bolowich, North Carolina |