Conrath, Minnifield and Pasztor Named First-Team All-ACC

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Five Virginia football players were named either first-or-second-team on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football team, announced by the league on Monday. Three other players were named as honorable mention selections. The five selections are the most first-and second-team honorees for UVa since the 2004 team garnered seven accolades over the two teams. The eight overall members on the All-ACC team are the most by a UVa team since the 2004 team also had eight players represented.

Senior defensive tackle Matt Conrath, senior cornerback Chase Minnifield and senior offensive guard Austin Pasztor were named to the first team, the most honors UVa has earned since the 2005 team placed D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Connor Hughes and Kai Parham on the first-team squad. Junior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi and junior linebacker Steve Greer were named to the All-ACC second team. Junior tailback Perry Jones, senior safety Rodney McLeod and senior center Anthony Mihota garnered honorable mention honors.

Minnifield (Lexington, Ky.) earns his second career All-ACC first-team honor, becoming the first Cavalier to win multiple first team honors in his career since Ferguson in 2004 and 2005. Minnifield is the first UVa defensive back to have multiple All-ACC first team accolades since current UVa safeties coach and special teams coordinator Anthony Poindexter earned three career nods (1997, ’98, ’99). Minnifield is No. 2 nationally among active career leaders with 13 interceptions. He is a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award & Lott IMPACT Trophy. Minnifield was named the Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week after helping limit then-No. 12 Georgia Tech to 24 yards passing and its lowest rushing total at the time (272).

Conrath (Oak Lawn, Ill.) earns his first career All-ACC selection and becomes the first UVa defensive tackle to garner first team honors since Nate Collins in 2009. Conrath was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice, following wins over then-No. 12 Georgia Tech and Duke. Along with Minnifield and Greer, he helped anchor a defense that is No. 31 in the nation and No. 3 in the ACC, helping UVa improve from No. 78 and No. 10 respectively in 2010. Conrath led UVa with three blocked field goals, all in separate games and all UVa wins. Conrath is third on the team and No. 3 in the ACC among defensive linemen with 64 tackles.

Pasztor (Langton, Ontario) earns his first career All-ACC selection and becomes the first UVa offensive guard to receive first team honors since Branden Albert in 2007. He has helped UVa rush for 1,984 yards, the most by a UVa team since the 2004 season. Pasztor has allowed zero sacks and in 781 offensive plays has given up only two QB hurries. He was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after grading out at 93 percent as UVa rolled up 527 yards of total offense at Maryland.

Aboushi (Staten Island, N.Y.) earns his first career All-ACC selection and becomes the first UVa offensive tackle to be placed on either team since Eugene Monroe was a first team selection in 2008. Aboushi was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week following road wins at Indiana and Miami.

Greer (Solon, Ohio) earns his second career All-ACC selection after being named to the honorable mention team in 2009. Greer leads UVa and is seventh in the ACC with 103 tackles. Greer is the first UVa linebacker to be named to either the first or second team since Clint Sintim also took home second team honors in 2008. Greer was named ACC Linebacker of the Week following his two sack performance at then-No. 23 Florida State and has led UVa in tackles in 8-of-12 games.

Jones (Chesapeake, Va.) earns his first career All-ACC accolade and becomes the first UVa tailback to be named to any All-ACC squad since Cedric Peerman was also an honorable mention honoree in 2008. He is on track to become UVa’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2004 and is No. 2 on the team with 41 receptions for 416 yards.

McLeod (Oxon Hill, Md.) earns his first career All-ACC honor. The senior was named national defensive back of the week and ACC Defensive Back of the Week after grabbing three interceptions in UVa’s road win at Maryland. The three INTs tied a national high for the season and tied a program record with eight others.

Mihota (Fredericksburg, Va.) earns his first career All-ACC honor and becomes the first UVa center since Zac Yarbrough was named to the second-team in 2004. Mihota was the only center in the ACC to earn multiple offensive lineman of the week honors.