Five Tar Heels Earn All-South Region Honors

Chapel Hill -- North Carolina placed five players in the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Division I Men's Soccer All-South Regional Team. James Pyle, Alex Comsia and Mauricio Pineda were named to the first team while John Nelson and Nils Bruening were named to the second team. The Tar Heels are tied with Wake Forest for the most players on the first team and lead all schools with five total players.

Pyle, a native of Charlotte, N.C., put together one of the best careers in the net for the Heels in recent memory. Leading the ACC in goals against average (0.51), held nine shutouts this season en route to being named first-team All-ACC.

Comsia, a two time selection to the first team, helped lead one of the best defenses in the country this year while being named the ACC Defender of the Year. A Senior CLASS Award finalist and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalst, he was tied for third on the team in minutes played and started all 19 games for the Heels.

Pineda, a first-team All-ACC selection, anchored the midfield for the Tar Heels and finished fourth on team with 14 points. His five goals and four assists were both career highs as he was tied for third on the team in minutes played.

A year after being named to the all-freshman ACC side, Nelson put up another standout season as he was named to the second-team All-ACC. The defender helped lead the Heels to the ACC's best defense and finished fifth on the team in minutes with a career high two assists.

Bruening, a native of Hamburg, Germany, put together an impressive senior season after missing 2017 due to injury. The first-team All-ACC midfielder finished third on the team in points (16) with six goals and four assist, and led the team in shots with 41.

The full list of award winners can be seen here.

Players Mentioned

Nils Bruening

Alex Comsia

John Nelson

Mauricio Pineda

James Pyle

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