Gelnovatch, Eight Cavaliers Recognized on VaSID All-State Team
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia men’s soccer team swept the 2019 VaSID Men’s Soccer University Team Major Awards. Joe Bell (Wanaka, New Zealand) was named VaSID Player of the Year, Andreas Ueland (Bryne, Norway) took home VaSID Rookie of the Year honors, and head coach George Gelnovatch was named the state coach of the year.
All-State honors were bestowed on eight Virginia student-athletes, including seven on the first team. Senior Robin Afamefuna (Wuerselen, Germany), Bell, junior Nathaniel Crofts (Sheffield, England) forward Daryl Dike (Edmond, Okla.), defender Henry Kessler (New York, N.Y.), goalkeeper Colin Shutler (Middleburg, Va.) and midfielder Daniel Steedman (Glasgow, Scotland) were all First Team All-State honorees while Ueland was listed on the second team.
Bell, the state player of the year, helped lead Virginia to the College Cup Final as he started 22 of 24 matches, missing two games as he earned caps with the New Zealand Full National Team in mid-November. He was tabbed a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American, USC First-Team All-Region, 2019 ACC Midfielder of Year, First-Team All-ACC, the 2019 USC Scholar Region Player of the Year and to the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team. He finished the year with seven goals, four assists, and 18 points. His five penalty kick goals were tied for the second-most in the country, and his brace against SMU included the golden goal that sent Virginia to its 13th College Cup.
In his rookie season, Ueland played every minute on the Cavaliers back line and was named Third-Team All-ACC and a spot on the ACC All-Rookie squad. He helped anchor the UVA defense to 15 shutouts, the most in the nation, as the team sported the second-best GAA (0.53) in the country. Offensively, Ueland added three goals, and an assist, including the golden goal against UNC to clinch the ACC Coastal Division title. His other two goals came in the NCAA Third Round win over #14 St. John’s.
Gelnovatch was named the VaSID Coach of the Year for the fourth time since 2009. He led the Cavaliers to an NCAA-best 21 wins, which were the most in his 24-year tenure, and all the way to the College Cup Final for the third time in the last 10 seasons. UVA won the ACC Tournament and the ACC Coastal Division Championship as it defeated 12 top-25 teams, including six in the top-10.
The Cavaliers took up seven of the 11 spots on the first team, the most of any program in the commonwealth. The sweep of the major awards was the second time Virginia has captured all three (2009).
VaSID names 37 all-state teams in 22 sports each year, as well as an Academic All-State squad and an all-sports champion in both the University and College Divisions. Membership in VaSID is open to all media relations professionals working at a university or conference in the state of Virginia.
2019 VaSID Men’s Soccer All-State Team
First Team
GK – Colin Shutler (Virginia) ^
D – Robin Afamefuna (Virginia)
D – Tom Judge (James Madison)
D – Henry Kessler (Virginia) ^
MF – Joe Bell (Virginia) ^
MF – Manuel Ferriol (James Madison) %
MF – Daniel Steedman (Virginia)
F – Nathanial Crofts (Virginia)
F – Daryl Dike (Virginia)
F – Julian Ngoh (William & Mary)
F – Kristo Strickler (Virginia Tech)
Second Team
GK – TJ Bush (James Madison) ^
D – Brandon Clegg (James Madison)
D – Ryo Shimazaki (VCU) ^
D – Andreas Ueland (Virginia)
MF – Alfredo Bozalongo (William & Mary)
MF – Frenando Casero (James Madison)
MF – Daniel Pereira (Virginia Tech)
MF – Mouhameth Thiam (Radford)
F – Biska Biyombo (VCU)
F – Alexander Levengood (William & Mary)
F – Niclas Mohr (James Madison)
Player of the Year – Joe Bell (Virginia)
Rookie of the Year – Andreas Ueland (Virginia)
Coach of the Year – George Gelnovatch (Virginia)
^ – Two-Time VaSid Selection % – Three-Time VaSID Selection