CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2023 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Team and season award winners were announced Wednesday following a vote of the league’s head coaches. Mirroring the league’s balance this season, the five ACC Player of the Year awards were spread amongst six players from five different schools.
Duke senior forward Forster Ajago was voted the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and Wake Forest senior defender Garrison Tubbs was selected ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Syracuse senior Jeorgio Kocevski and Virginia senior Mouhameth Thiam shared ACC Midfielder of the Year honors, while Notre Dame senior Bryan Dowd was chosen ACC Goalkeeper of the Year. Virginia forward Stephen Annor Gyamfi notched Freshman of the Year laurels. Notre Dame head coach Chad Riley was voted ACC Coach of the Year by his peers.
Ajago leads the ACC and is tied for third nationally in goals this season with 14, one off the national lead. He also has totaled 32 total points this season, by far the most of any ACC player. The native of Navrongo, Ghana, has twice been honored as ACC Offensive Player of the Week.
A native of Brunswick, Georgia, Tubbs anchors the Demon Deacons’ backline and played 1,505 of a possible 1,530 minutes this season. The Wake Forest defense conceded just 14 goals this season, third fewest of all ACC teams.
Kocevski leads all ACC players with 11 assists this season. A native of Liverpool, New York, Kocevski is the first Syracuse player to claim the Midfielder of the Year award.
Thiam has started all 17 games this season for Virginia and totaled five goals as well as four assists. The Dakar, Senegal, native has recorded a pair of game-winning goals. He was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 17.
Dowd has been a linchpin in the stingy Notre Dame defensive attack, allowing just 12 goals while recording 52 saves and a 0.75 goals-against average in 16 matches. The native of Willow Springs, Illinois, owns an ACC-best eight shutouts, 0.75 goals-against average and .813 save percentage this season.
Hailing from Accra, Ghana, Annor Gyamfi is tied for second in the ACC goals with 10 this season, including seven in conference play, which is tied for the most among all players. He is tied for second nationally in goals by a freshman.
Named ACC Coach of the Year…
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