University of North Carolina Athletics
Watson, Storey Headline Carolina's All-ACC Selections
November 11, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 11, 2003
GREENSBORO, N.C. - In addition to earning second-team all-conference and all-freshmen honors, North Carolina freshman forward Jamie Watson was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year Tuesday, as the league office announced its 2003 postseason accolades. Additionally, junior forward Marcus Storey garnered first-team All-ACC honors, while junior defender Tim Merritt joined Watson on the second team.
In addition to Watson, rookie forward Corey Ashe and midfielder Michael Harrington also earned spots on the league's all-freshmen squad. All award winners were selected based on a vote by the league's seven head coaches.
A native of Coppell, Texas, Watson is the Tar Heels' fifth ACC Rookie of the Year and first since Storey earned the honor in 2001. He is tied for the team lead with 15 points, leads the squad with five assists and is second with five goals. He has started 16 of Carolina's 18 games and also shares the team lead with two game-winning goals. A member of the U.S. Under-17 National Team, Watson made an immediate impact this season, scoring the game-winner in overtime to lead the Tar Heels to a victory over then-No. 5 St. John's in the season's first game. Watson is also the only rookie to earn a spot on both the all-conference and all-freshmen squads.
Tied for the Tar Heels' scoring lead with Watson, Storey earns all-conference honors for the first time in his career. The 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year, Storey leads the team with six goals on the season. He got off to a quick start in 2003 with four goals in the first three matches of the season, including two in a 3-0 win over then-No. 10 Connecticut. Storey was named ACC Player of the Week on Sept. 1 and also brought home national team of the week honors from College Soccer News and Soccer America that same week.
Merritt is also a first-time all-conference selection after earning second-team honors. In addition to anchoring a defense that ranks second in the league with a 0.68 goals against average, Merritt is fourth on the team with nine points (four goals, one assist) this season. He has game-winning goals against Michigan and Davidson and earned ACC Player of the Week honors on Oct. 6 after leading the UNC defense in a 1-0 win over then-top-ranked Maryland.
Ashe earned a spot on the all-freshmen team after finishing the regular season with four goals and two assists. He ranks third on the team with 10 points on the year and tallied game-winning goals against both Maryland and South Carolina. One of the Tar Heels top play makers, Harrington also claimed a spot on the all-rookie squad with a goal and two assists from the midfield.
Maryland and Wake Forest each placed seven players on the all-conference squads, followed by the Tar Heels' three honorees. Carolina and Virginia led the way with three players each on the all-freshmen team.
The Tar Heels (12-3-3, 2-3-1 ACC) open the 2003 ACC Tournament Wednesday at Cary's SAS Stadium against NC State at 3 p.m.
2003 ALL-ACC MEN'S SOCCER TEAMS
First Team Scott Buete............. Maryland.................... Midfield lake Camp.............. Duke........................ Midfield Kenny Cutler............ Clemson..................... Midfield Will Hesmer............. Wake Forest................. Goalkeeper Sumed Ibrahim........... Maryland.................... Midfield Aaron King.............. NC State.................... Forward Matt Oliver............. Virginia.................... Defender Michael Parkhurst....... Wake Forest................. Defender Seth Stammler........... Maryland.................... Defender Marcus Storey........... North Carolina.............. Forward Jeremiah White.......... Wake Forest................. ForwardSecond Team Vicente Bastidas........ Wake Forest................. Midfield Clarence Goodson........ Maryland.................... Defender Mike Littlefield........ Virginia.................... Forward Amir Lowery............. Wake Forest................. Midfield Domenic Mediate......... Maryland.................... Forward Tim Merritt............. North Carolina.............. Defender Justin Moose............ Wake Forest................. Midfield Noah Palmer............. Maryland.................... Goalkeeper Scott Sealy............. Wake Forest................. Forward Abe Thompson............ Maryland.................... Forward Jamie Watson............ North Carolina.............. Forward
All-Freshmen Corey Ashe.............. North Carolina.............. Forward Ryan Burke.............. Virginia.................... Goalkeeper Adam Cristman........... Virginia.................... Forward Steven Curfman.......... Wake Forest................. Midfield Santiago Fusilier....... NC State.................... Midfield Will Hall............... Virginia.................... Midfield Michael Harrington...... North Carolina.............. Midfield Kyle Helton............. Duke........................ Defender Chris Loftus............ Duke........................ Forward Wells Thompson.......... Wake Forest................. Midfield Jamie Watson............ North Carolina.............. Forward
ACC Player of the Year............. Jeremiah White, Wake Forest ACC Freshman of the Year........... Jamie Watson, North Carolina ACC Coach of the Year.............. Sasho Cirovski, Maryland
