Virginia's Alecko Eskandarian Named Soccer America's 2000 Freshman of the Year

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Jan. 30, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia men’s soccer player Alecko Eskandarian (Montvale, N.J./Bergen Catholic) was named the 2000 Freshman of the Year by Soccer America. The first-year forward gathered the honor after being named to Soccer America’s 2000 All-Freshman Team. As a freshman, Eskandarian led the Cavaliers in points, goals scored, assists and shots taken.

Eskandarian had an outstanding freshman campaign. He recorded 1,858 minutes of playing time after starting 22 of the 24 games he appeared in and helped guide the Cavaliers to a record of 17-6-1 overall, 5-1-0 in the ACC. He scored a team-high 38 points on a team-high 16 goals and recorded a team-high six assists. Four of his goals and three of his assists were game-winners.

With his 16th goal of the season against Lehigh in UVa’s 5-0 victory over the Mountain Hawks in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, Eskandarian became Virginia’s all-time leader in points scored by a freshman with 38. Eskandarian `s 38 points broke current UVa head coach George Gelnovatch’s former UVa record mark of 37 points scored by a freshman. Eskandarian’s 16 goals also tied Gelnovatch’s record mark of 16 goals scored in a single season as a freshman at UVa.

Aside from being named Freshman of the Year by Soccer America, Eskandarian was also named the ACC Rookie of the Year and was tabbed a First Team All-ACC selection. He was named the ACC Player of the Week (9/4/00) after he scored three goals and recorded one assist (seven points) in his first two games as a Cavalier. Eskandarian was selected to the Soccer America Team of the Week (9/13), named to the NSCAA Adidas First Team All-South Atlantic Region squad and was named the Player of the Year in the state of Virginia and a First Team All-State selection by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID). He was also named to the Virginia Soccer Classic All-Tournament team and to the Maryland/Fila Invitational All-Tournament team last season.

2000 Soccer America Men’s All-Freshman Team

Name School PositionJordan Cila Duke ForwardJustin Cook Ohio State ForwardMcNeil Cronin Furman DefenderCesar Cuellar Connecticut ForwardBrad Davis St. Louis MidfielderAlecko Eskandarian Virginia ForwardDan Ferrin Stony Brook GoalkeeperOguchi Onyewu Clemson DefenderJason Thompson Eastern Illinois ForwardAttile Vendegh Old Dominion ForwardAlex Yi UCLA Defender