Three Virginia Players Named To The 2002 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team, Eskandarian named the ACC Player of the Year
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Nov. 13, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Three University of Virginia men’s soccer players, Alecko Eskandarian (Montvale, N.J./Bergen Catholic), Kenny Arena (Fairfax, Va./Oakton) and Matt Oliver (Waldorf, Md./DeMatha Catholic) were named to the 2002 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Team. UVa’s Eskandarian was named the 2002 ACC Player of the Year and was a First Team All-ACC choice. Arena and Oliver were each selected to the All-ACC Second Team.
Eskandarian, a third-year forward, has started all 16 games he has appeared in this season. He has scored a conference-leading 22 goals this year and has dished out four assists to rack up a total of 48 points on the season. Eskandarian’s 22 goals this year is tied for the second most goals scored in a single season at Virginia ever, his 48 points this year is the fourth highest single season total ever at UVa and his six game-winning goals this year is tied for the sixth highest single season mark for a Cavalier. For his career, Eskandarian has recorded 107 points which is seventh all-time at Virginia, scored 47 goals which is tied for fifth all-time at UVa and has scored 16 game-winning goals which is the third most in a career for a Cavalier.
With his selection to the All-ACC Men’s Soccer Team this year, Eskandarian has been named to the All-ACC First Team for three consecutive seasons (2002, 2001, 2000). However, this year was Eskandarian’s first ever selection as the ACC Player of the Year, but it marked the second consecutive year for UVa that the award went to a Virginia player. The Cavaliers’ Kyle Martino was named the ACC POTY in 2001. Eskandarian was also named an All-ACC First Team pick as a sophomore (2001) and as a freshman (2000). In 2000, Eskandarian was also named the ACC Rookie of the Year.
Arena, a fourth-year midfielder, made his first appearance on the All-ACC team which his selection this season. This year, he started 12 of the 13 games he has appeared in and has scored one goal and dished out two assists to record his five points. His goal this year was the game-winner when he headed in the game-winning score in Virginia’s 2-1 victory over American on October 26th. For his career, Kenny Arena has started 61 of the 74 games he has appeared in. He has recorded 24 career points resulting from seven goals and nine assists. Three of Arena’s seven goals were game-winners.
Oliver, a third-year defender, was named to the All-ACC Second Team for the second consecutive season. He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team last season (2001) as a sophomore. Oliver has stared all 37 games he has appeared in for his career and has helped the UVa defense record 15 shutouts over the past two seasons of play. Last season (2001), Oliver and the Cavalier defense helped Virginia become the first team ever in the ACC to win all of its conference games by shutout. He has also chipped in with two career points resulting from two assists in his career, with one assist coming in each of the last two seasons.
2002 ALL-ACC First Team
Name School PositionBrian Carroll Wake Forest MidfielderMatt Crawford North Carolina MidfielderALECKO ESKANDARIAN VIRGINIA FORWARDWilliam Hesmer Wake Forest GoalkeeperSumed Ibrahim Maryland MidfielderRyan Kneipper North Carolina ForwardDonald McIntosh Duke MidfielderLogan Pause North Carolina DefenderTrevor Perea Duke MidfielderDimelon Westfield Clemson ForwardJeremiah White Wake Forest Forward
2002 ALL-ACC SECOND TEAM
Name School PositionKENNY ARENA VIRGINIA MIDFIELDEROskar Bringsved Maryland MidfielderScott Buete Maryland MidfielderJustin Moose Wake Forest ForwardMATT OLIVER VIRGINIA DEFENDERMichael Parkhurst Wake Forest DefenderSeth Stammler Maryland DefenderFabio Tambosi Clemson MidfielderDavid Testo North Carolina ForwardAbe Thompson Maryland ForwardDoug Warren Clemson Goalkeeper
ACC Player of the Year: Alecko Eskandarian, VirginiaACC Rookie of the Year: Justin Moose, Wake ForestACC Coach of the Year: Jay Vidovich, Wake Forest
— UVa —