CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday (Oct. 31) that Virginia senior Aidan O’Connor has been named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week following a pair of impressive Cavalier wins, including a 1-0 home victory over No. 10 North Carolina.
O’Connor played a critical role for Virginia in securing victories over High Point and North Carolina in which Virginia conceded just one goal. The senior defender was a force for the Cavaliers at the back displaying his quality in one-on-one situations as well as in the air.
In addition to his impressive ability in defensive battles, O’Connor was excellent on the ball as well. With long diagonal passes from his own end of the field, he routinely put Virginia’s attacking players in dangerous positions in an instant. Late in a hard-fought defensive battle with North Carolina, O’Connor provided the assist on a game-winning strike from Mouhameth Thiam, his second of the season.
O’Connor has been integral to a Cavalier squad that has won each of its last four games and is unbeaten in its last eight. Over the course of that impressive eight-game stretch, O’Connor and the Virginia defense have conceded just four goals.
The honor marks the fifth time a Cavalier has been tabbed as ACC Player of the Week this season—the most of any school in the conference. Virginia’s winners include:
Stephen Annor, Offensive (Sept. 19)
Joey Batrouni, Defensive (Oct. 3)
Mouhameth Thiam, Co-Offensive (Oct. 17)
Stephen Annor, Offensive (Oct. 24)
Aidan O’Connor, Defensive (Oct. 31)
Up Next:
The Cavaliers turn their attention to the ACC Tournament. With the No. 3 seed in the competition, Virginia will host a quarterfinal match at Klöckner Stadium on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Cavaliers will face off with the winner of a first-round game between No. 19 Syracuse and NC State.