Cavaliers Land Five on All-Region Team

2019 United Soccer Coaches All-Region Teams

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s soccer program had five players recognized on the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Team as announced by the organization on Monday, Dec. 9. The four, first-team selections are a new program record.
 
Midfielder Joe Bell (Wanaka, New Zealand), forward Daryl Dike (Edmond, Okla.), defender Henry Kessler (New York, N.Y.) and goalkeeper Colin Shutler (Middleburg, Va.) were all first team honorees while Robin Afamefuna (Wuerselen, Germany) got a second team nod.
 
The first team was comprised of 11 members, all from ACC schools. Clemson and Virginia’s five overall selections were the most of any team in the South Region. The first team honorees are the first for Virginia since Edward Opoku in 2016 and the multiple first team selections are the first since Greg Monaco and Tony Tchani were first teamers in 2009.
 
Bell, the reigning 2019 ACC Midfielder of the Year and a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, has played in all but two matches for the Cavaliers this season. He is second on the team with six goals, including two in the NCAA Quarterfinal match on Friday (Dec. 6) against SMU. Bell also has four assists on the year, all in ACC regular season play which was tied for the most among his ACC cohorts. He was a second team All-Region honoree in 2018 and a two-time All-ACC Team performer.
 
In his second year, Dike leads the team in goals (7), assists (8) and points (22). In addition to his point production, the striker has drawn seven fouls that have directly led to Cavalier goals. Dike was a second team All-ACC honoree and claims All-Region honors for the first time his season. His eight assists are the most by a Cavalier since Todd Wharton in 2011.
 
Kessler is one of two MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalists on the top-ranked Cavaliers. He has played every minute of every match and anchored the nation’s top defense. He was a First Team All-ACC selection and named the ACC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. As a unit, Virginia has allowed only nine goals in 22 games, the fewest in the country and currently tied for fewest in school history. The all-region honor for Kessler is the second of his career after garnering second team laurels as a sophomore.
 
In net, Colin Shutler has helped Virginia to a NCAA-best 15 shutouts. He is a First Team All-ACC performer and currently leads the nation in goals against average (0.40) and is second in save percentage (.852). Shutler has totaled 23 career shutouts in 37 career starts, tied for the fourth most in UVA history.
 
A key member of the stout Cavalier defense, Afamefuna earned All-Region honors for the first time in his career. The Cavalier co-captain has played in all but four minutes of action this season, totaling four points (2g, 2a) from his defensive position. Earlier this fall Afamefuna earned Third Team All-ACC honors and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7 for his efforts in two shutouts and a goal against George Washington that landed him the No. 1 spot on SportCenter’s Top-10 plays.

2019 All-South Region Team