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Five Men's Soccer Tar Heels Receive All-ACC Honors
November 10, 2021 | Men's Soccer
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina received five All-ACC honors, the ACC announced on Wednesday. After finishing regular season play with a 10-5-1 (4-4 ACC) record that included ten shutouts, a vote of the league's 12 head coaches resulted in one goalkeeper, a defenseman, a midfielder, and two forwards receiving All-ACC awards.
Graduate student Alec Smir was named to the 2021 All-ACC First Team. Earlier this season, Smir was named Defensive Player of the Week following two top-15 shutout wins. Smir and the Tar Heels went on to win four games in a row in this stretch of the schedule. Smir has recorded nine shutout wins throughout the 2021 season as a captain for UNC. Smir's shutout percentage was ranked fourth in the country entering ACC Championship play.
Graduate students Joe Pickering and Filippo Zattarin were named to the 2021 All-ACC Third team for their contributions in the midfield and on the back line, respectively. Both Pickering and Zattarin have started all 18 games this season and played the full 90 minutes. Pickering has recorded two assists and Zattarin has recorded one to contribute to the Tar Heels 11-6-1 (4-4 ACC) record through 18 games this season.
True freshmen Ken Bellini and Tega Ikoba were named to the 2021 All-Freshman Team. Ikoba currently leads the Tar Heels in goals (6) and points (14). Ikoba made his first start for UNC at Pitt in September but has now started seven games in a row dating back to October 12, 2021, versus Wofford.
Ken Bellini has recorded nine starts this season, joining the regular starting lineup on October 15, 2021, versus Louisville. Bellini has tallied four points on the season with one goal and two assists. His first career goal came against No. 11 Notre Dame on Senior Day.
The ACC has six teams among the top 25 in the NCAA's latest RPI, twice as many as any other conference. Pitt, Clemson and Duke are Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Notre Dame is No. 14. North Carolina is No. 20 in the RPI, while Virginia Tech is No. 22.
The NCAA Selection Show will take place on Monday, November 14th at 1 p.m. and decide the schedule of post-season play for the Tar Heels.
2021 ACC Men's Soccer Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year - Thorleifur Ulfarsson, So., F, Duke
Defensive Player of the Year - Jasper Löeffelsend, Gr., D, Pitt
Midfielder of the Year - Peter Stroud, So., M, Duke
Freshman of the Year - Shakur Mohammed, M, Duke
Coach of the Year - Jay Vidovich, Pitt
2021 All-ACC Team
First Team
Oskar Ågren, Clemson
Peter Stroud, Duke
Thorleifur Ulfarsson, Duke
Aboubacar Camara, Louisville
Pedro Fonseca, Louisville
Alec Smir, North Carolina
Jack Lynn, Notre Dame
Jasper Löeffelsend, Pitt
DeAndre Kerr, Syracuse
Jacob Labovitz, Virginia Tech
Kyle Holcomb, Wake Forest
Second Team
Hamady Diop, Clemson
George Marks, Clemson
Ousmane Sylla, Clemson
Shakur Mohammed, Duke
Rodrigo Almeida, Pitt
Bertin Jacquesson, Pitt
Valentin Noel, Pitt
Arturo Ordoñez, Pitt
Veljko Petkovic, Pitt
Jackson Walti, Pitt
Leo Afonso, Virginia
Third Team
Victor Souza, Boston College
Quinn McNeil, Clemson
Sander Roed, Louisville
Joe Pickering, North Carolina
Filippo Zattarin, North Carolina
Philip Quinton, Notre Dame
Nico Campuzano, Pitt
Mayola Kinyua, Virginia Tech
Nico Benalcazar, Wake Forest
Omar Hernandez, Wake Forest
Jake Swallen, Wake Forest
All-Freshman Team
Aidan Farwell, Boston College
Ruben Mesalles, Duke
Shakur Mohammed, Duke
Sander Roed, Louisville
Ken Bellini, North Carolina
Tega Ikoba, North Carolina
Josh Ramsey, Notre Dame
Matthew Roou, Notre Dame
Guilherme Feitosa, Pitt
Curt Calov, Syracuse
Asparuh Slavov, Virginia
Danny Flores, Virginia Tech
Graduate student Alec Smir was named to the 2021 All-ACC First Team. Earlier this season, Smir was named Defensive Player of the Week following two top-15 shutout wins. Smir and the Tar Heels went on to win four games in a row in this stretch of the schedule. Smir has recorded nine shutout wins throughout the 2021 season as a captain for UNC. Smir's shutout percentage was ranked fourth in the country entering ACC Championship play.
Graduate students Joe Pickering and Filippo Zattarin were named to the 2021 All-ACC Third team for their contributions in the midfield and on the back line, respectively. Both Pickering and Zattarin have started all 18 games this season and played the full 90 minutes. Pickering has recorded two assists and Zattarin has recorded one to contribute to the Tar Heels 11-6-1 (4-4 ACC) record through 18 games this season.
True freshmen Ken Bellini and Tega Ikoba were named to the 2021 All-Freshman Team. Ikoba currently leads the Tar Heels in goals (6) and points (14). Ikoba made his first start for UNC at Pitt in September but has now started seven games in a row dating back to October 12, 2021, versus Wofford.
Ken Bellini has recorded nine starts this season, joining the regular starting lineup on October 15, 2021, versus Louisville. Bellini has tallied four points on the season with one goal and two assists. His first career goal came against No. 11 Notre Dame on Senior Day.
The ACC has six teams among the top 25 in the NCAA's latest RPI, twice as many as any other conference. Pitt, Clemson and Duke are Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Notre Dame is No. 14. North Carolina is No. 20 in the RPI, while Virginia Tech is No. 22.
The NCAA Selection Show will take place on Monday, November 14th at 1 p.m. and decide the schedule of post-season play for the Tar Heels.
2021 ACC Men's Soccer Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year - Thorleifur Ulfarsson, So., F, Duke
Defensive Player of the Year - Jasper Löeffelsend, Gr., D, Pitt
Midfielder of the Year - Peter Stroud, So., M, Duke
Freshman of the Year - Shakur Mohammed, M, Duke
Coach of the Year - Jay Vidovich, Pitt
2021 All-ACC Team
First Team
Oskar Ågren, Clemson
Peter Stroud, Duke
Thorleifur Ulfarsson, Duke
Aboubacar Camara, Louisville
Pedro Fonseca, Louisville
Alec Smir, North Carolina
Jack Lynn, Notre Dame
Jasper Löeffelsend, Pitt
DeAndre Kerr, Syracuse
Jacob Labovitz, Virginia Tech
Kyle Holcomb, Wake Forest
Second Team
Hamady Diop, Clemson
George Marks, Clemson
Ousmane Sylla, Clemson
Shakur Mohammed, Duke
Rodrigo Almeida, Pitt
Bertin Jacquesson, Pitt
Valentin Noel, Pitt
Arturo Ordoñez, Pitt
Veljko Petkovic, Pitt
Jackson Walti, Pitt
Leo Afonso, Virginia
Third Team
Victor Souza, Boston College
Quinn McNeil, Clemson
Sander Roed, Louisville
Joe Pickering, North Carolina
Filippo Zattarin, North Carolina
Philip Quinton, Notre Dame
Nico Campuzano, Pitt
Mayola Kinyua, Virginia Tech
Nico Benalcazar, Wake Forest
Omar Hernandez, Wake Forest
Jake Swallen, Wake Forest
All-Freshman Team
Aidan Farwell, Boston College
Ruben Mesalles, Duke
Shakur Mohammed, Duke
Sander Roed, Louisville
Ken Bellini, North Carolina
Tega Ikoba, North Carolina
Josh Ramsey, Notre Dame
Matthew Roou, Notre Dame
Guilherme Feitosa, Pitt
Curt Calov, Syracuse
Asparuh Slavov, Virginia
Danny Flores, Virginia Tech
Players Mentioned
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