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Pitt men’s soccer nearly sweep ACC seasonal honors

Valentin Noel earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year (Photo courtesy Pitt Athletics)

From ACC media release

Pitt earned four season awards to highlight the 2020 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Menโ€™s Soccer Team, which was released Wednesday following a vote by the leagueโ€™s 12 head coaches.

Pitt sophomore midfielder Valentin Noel was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, while teammates Jasper Lรถeffelsend and Bertin Jacquesson earned Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, respectively. This marks the first time a Pitt player has earned one of the yearly ACC Men’s Soccer Player of the Year honors.

Pitt head coach Jay Vidovich was voted ACC Coach of the Year for the sixth time, although this is his first such honor at Pitt. He earned the distinction five times while serving as head coach at Wake Forest. Vidovich led Pitt to its first ACC Coastal Division championship this season and guided the Panthers to their first ACC Championship game appearance. Pitt also earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking this season.

The No. 1 pick in the 2021 Major League SuperDraft, Virginia Tech sophomore midfielder Daniel Pereira earned ACC Midfielder of the Year honors.

Currently the nationโ€™s top-ranked team, Pitt led all schools with eight All-ACC selections. Fourth-ranked Clemson had six honorees, while fifth-ranked Wake Forest placed five on the team.

Including Pereira, six of the 11 First-Team All-ACC honorees already have started their professional careers. Clemsonโ€™s Philip Mayaka and Kimarni Smith were named to the first team for the second straight season. Mayaka signed a Generation adidas contract on Jan. 14 before being selected No. 3 overall by the Colorado Rapids in this yearโ€™s MLS SuperDraft. The 2020 ACC Championship MVP, Smith was the No. 4 overall pick by D.C. United in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Wake Forestโ€™s Calvin Harris was the No. 2 overall pick by FC Cincinnati in the 2021 SuperDraft. Wake Forestโ€™s Isaiah Parente and Clemsonโ€™s Grayson Barber signed MLS homegrown contracts with the Columbus Crew and Sporting KC, respectively, in January.

Noel leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with 11 goals this season. He also owns a pair of assists and ranks third nationally in total points with 24. Noel was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team after scoring three goals and assisting on another during the Panthersโ€™ run to the title game.

Lรถeffelsend has anchored the stout Panthersโ€™ back line and owns seven assists this season, which is tied for first in the ACC and fifth in the nation. His total of seven assists currently is tied for ninth most in a single season in program history.

Pereira is the first Hokie to earn ACC Midfielder of the Year honors. He started all seven of Virginia Techโ€™s matches in the fall and recorded a goal and an assist. He finished with six goals and six assists in two years with the Hokies. The sophomore signed a Generation adidas deal in November and was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Austin FC. He was the eighth No. 1 pick in the MLS SuperDraft from a current ACC school.

Jacquesson ranks second in the ACC and 12th nationally with six assists this season. He is also is tied for the lead in assists among all freshmen nationally. Jacquesson also has scored a pair of goals this season, with game winners in his first two college matches against Notre Dame and Syracuse.

The spring portion of the ACC season concludes Saturday with the conferenceโ€™s NCAA automatic qualifier game, featuring No. 1 Pitt playing at No. 3 Clemson at 7 p.m. on ACC Network. Pitt won the Coastal Division crown while Clemson captured the Atlantic Division title as well as the 2020 ACC Championship in the fall. The winner of the match earns the leagueโ€™s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The selection show for the 36-team tournament is Monday, April 19.

2020 Menโ€™s Soccer All-ACC Team

Offensive Player of the Year โ€“ Valentin Noel, So., M, Pitt
Defensive Player of the Yearย โ€“ Jasper Lรถeffelsend, Gr., D, Pitt
Midfielder of the Yearย โ€“ Daniel Pereira, So., M, Virginia Tech
Freshman of the Yearย โ€“ Bertin Jacquesson, Fr., F, Pitt
Coach of the Yearย โ€“ Jay Vidovich, Pitt

First Teamย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 
Grayson Barber, Jr., F, Clemson
Philip Mayaka, So., M, Clemson
Kimarni Smith, Sr., F, Clemson
Jack Lynn, Jr., F, Notre Dame
Nico Campuzano, Gr., GK, Pitt
Jasper Lรถeffelsend, Gr., D, Pitt
Valentin Noel, So., M, Pitt
Daniel Pereira, So., M, Virginia Tech
Kristo Strickler, Sr., M, Virginia Tech
Calvin Harris, So., F, Wake Forest
Isaiah Parente, Jr., M, Wake Forest

Second Teamย ย ย 
Oskar ร…gren, So., D, Clemson
Pedro Fonseca, Jr., F, Louisville
Giovanni Montesdeoca, Sr., F, North Carolina
Alec Smir, Jr., GK, North Carolina
Aiden McFadden, Sr., M, Notre Dame
Bertin Jacquesson, Fr., F, Pitt
Veljko Petkovic, So., M, Pitt
Jackson Walti, Jr., M, Pitt
Bret Halsey, Jr., M, Virginia
Nico Benalcazar, So., D, Wake Forest
Machop Chol, Sr., F, Wake Forest

Third Teamย ย ย ย ย ย ย 
Kristofer Konradsson, Jr., M, Boston College
Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador, Jr., M, Clemson
Justin Malou, Sr., D, Clemson
George Marks, Jr., GK, Clemson
Peter Stroud, Fr., M, Duke
Elijah Amo, Sr., M, Louisville
Alexander Dexter, Sr., F, Pitt
Arturo Ordoรฑez, So., D, Pitt
Andreas Ueland, So., D, Virginia
Jacob Labovitz, Sr., F, Virginia Tech
Kyle Holcomb, Jr., F, Wake Forest

All-Freshman Team
Hamady Diop, D, Clemson
Ousmane Sylla, M, Clemson
Antino Lopez, M, Duke
Nick Pariano, M, Duke
Peter Stroud, M, Duke
Thorleifur Ulfarsson, F, Duke
Aboubacar Camara, F, Louisville
Bertin Jacquesson, F, Pitt
Filip Mirkovic, M, Pitt
Deandre Kerr, F, Syracuse
Garrison Tubbs, D, Wake Forest

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Menโ€™s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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