Nov. 10, 2011
GREENSBORO, N.C. – First-place finisher North Carolina captured three major individual awards, and Duke’s Andrew Wenger earned Offensive Player of the Year honors to highlight the 2011 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Team announced today by Commissioner John Swofford.
Wenger, a junior forward who previously played the back line, earned the conference’s top offensive honor one year after being named the 2010 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The Lititz, Pa., native became the first player to capture both the ACC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Awards.
The Tar Heels’ Matt Hedges was named the 2011 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while UNC coach Carlos Somoano received Coach of the Year honors, and Mikey Lopez was voted Freshman of the Year in balloting among the league’s nine head coaches.
Hedges, a senior who transferred to UNC from Butler prior to this season, earned the distinction of being named Defensive Player of the Year in two Division I conferences. The Carmel, Ind., defender was voted the 2010 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year. This season, Hedges has spearheaded a UNC defense that has allowed an ACC-low 13 goals in 19 matches (0.66 per game) and has posted an ACC-leading eight shutouts.
Somoano, in his first year as a head coach, has led the Tar Heels to a 15-2-2 overall record and a No. 3 national ranking heading into Friday night’s ACC Championship semifinal game against Virginia. In addition to its defensive prowess, Somoano’s UNC team leads the conference in goals scored (45). Lopez, a midfielder from Mission, Texas, has contributed both defensively and at the offensive end, tallying nine points on three assists and three goals, including one game-winner.
Duke’s Wenger enters the ACC Championship semifinals leading the ACC in goals scored (17), points (42) and shots taken (105). He ranks third nationally in points per game (2.21). Wenger has tallied more than one goal in six matches, including a pair of hat tricks, and has delivered eight multiple-point performances.
Maryland, which finished second in the conference regular-season standings and is ranked fourth nationally, led all schools with six players voted to the first or second All-ACC team. North Carolina followed with five selections. Lopez was one of an ACC-high three Tar Heels named to All-ACC Freshmen Team.
In addition to Duke’s Wenger, repeat All-ACC selections from the 2010 season include Boston College’s Charlie Rugg and Kyle Bekker, Duke’s James Belshaw, Maryland’s Casey Townsend, Virginia’s Brian Owenby and North Carolina’s Enzo Martinez.
In addition, Boston College’s Chris Ager, Clemson’s Cody Mizzell, Duke’s Sebastien Ibeagha, Maryland’s Patrick Mullins, Virginia’s Brian Span and Wake Forest’s Jared Watts earned All-ACC honors after being named to the All-ACC Freshmen team in 2010.
2011 All-ACC Men’s Soccer Team
First Team
| Player |
Year |
Pos. |
School |
| Kyle Bekker |
Jr. |
M. |
Boston College |
| Charlie Rugg |
Jr. |
F |
Boston College |
| James Belshaw |
Jr. |
GK |
Duke |
| Andrew Wenger |
Jr. |
F |
Duke |
| John Stertzer |
Jr. |
M |
Maryland |
| Casey Townsend |
Sr. |
F |
Maryland |
| Scott Goodwin |
Jr. |
GK |
North Carolina |
| Matt Hedges |
Sr. |
D |
North Carolina |
| Enzo Martinez |
Jr. |
M |
North Carolina |
| Billy Schuler |
Jr. |
F |
North Carolina |
| Will Bates |
Jr. |
F |
Virginia |
| Jared Watts |
So. |
M |
Wake Forest |
Second Team
| Player |
Year |
Pos. |
School |
| Chris Ager |
So. |
D |
Boston College |
| Cody Mizell |
So. |
GK |
Clemson |
| Sebastien Ibeagha |
So. |
D |
Duke |
| Nick Palodichuk |
Fr. |
F |
Duke |
| Sunny Jane |
So. |
M |
Maryland |
| Taylor Kemp |
Jr. |
D |
Maryland |
| Patrick Mullins |
So. |
F |
Maryland |
| London Woodberry |
Jr. |
D |
Maryland |
| Kirk Urso |
Sr. |
M |
North Carolina |
| Brian Ownby |
Sr. |
M |
Virginia |
| Brian Span, |
So. |
M |
Virginia |
Offensive Player of the Year – Andrew Wenger, Duke
Defensive Player of the Year – Matt Hedges, North Carolina
Freshman of the Year – Mikey Lopez, North Carolina
Coach of the Year – Carlos Somoano, North Carolina
2011 ACC All-Freshmen Men’s Soccer Team
| Player |
Pos. |
School |
| Diego Medina-Mendez |
M |
Boston College |
| Brynjar Benediktsson |
F |
Clemson |
| Amadou Dia |
F |
Clemson |
| Andrew Morales |
M |
Duke |
| Nick Palodichuk |
F |
Duke |
| Mikey Lopez |
M |
North Carolina |
| Jordan McCrary |
D |
North Carolina |
| Boyd Okwuonu |
D |
North Carolina |
| Ryan Zinkhan |
F |
Virginia |
| Teddy Mullin |
M |
Wake Forest |
| Sean Okoli |
F |
Wake Forest |