Nov. 13, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame junior midfielder Patrick Hodan on Thursday was named the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year. Hodan is among seven Fighting Irish players who garnered all-ACC honors.
Fighting Irish senior midfielder Nick Besler joined Hodan on the All-ACC First Team. Fifth-year senior defender Luke Mishu received second-team honors, while fellow fifth-year seniors Andrew O’Malley (D) and Patrick Wall (GK) were named to the third team. Freshman forwards Jeffrey Farina and Jon Gallagher were voted to the all-rookie squad.
Hodan (Brookfield, Wis.) leads Notre Dame in goals (9) and points (21) this season. He ranks second among all ACC players in goals and is third in points. Seven of his goals have come against ACC competition and he has scored at least one goal in seven of the last nine matches overall. Hodan, an all-ACC second-team honoree last year, has delivered five game-winning scores for the Irish this season.
This is the third straight season Notre Dame has produced a conference offensive player of the year. Last season, Harrison Shipp was tapped as the ACC’s top offensive performer and Ryan Finley was named the 2012 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year in Notre Dame’s final campaign in the league.
Besler (Overland Park, Kan.) is on the All-ACC First Team for the second consecutive season. The team captain has never left the field this season and has tallied one goal and two assists from his central midfield spot. It’s the third all-conference accolade for Besler, who was a third-team all-BIG EAST member in 2012.
Mishu (Knoxville, Tenn.) also has played every minute this season and has dished out four assists while helping the Irish defense post six shutouts. Mishu, a team captain, is a three-year starter at right back and he copped third-team all-ACC honors in 2013.
O’Malley (West Chester, Pa.) started the first 12 games this season, but has missed the last six contests due to an injury. The central defender scored Notre Dame’s second goal in the 3-2 overtime victory over No. 16 Louisville. O’Malley captains the Irish along with Besler and Mishu.
Wall (Sugarland, Texas) has logged every minute in goal for the Fighting Irish over the last two campaigns. This season, he boasts an 11-4-3 record with six clean sheets. He also carries a 0.79 goals-against average and a .792 save percentage. Wall made a career-high nine saves last month at Indiana.
Farina (Winnetka, Ill.) has two goals and a team-best six assists. His first career goal put the Irish on the board in the 2-0 triumph over North Carolina. He has played in every match and made his first start in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship.
Gallagher (Dundalk, Ireland) has accounted for two goals and three assists during his rookie campaign. The tallies came in league wins over Duke and Virginia Tech. He has played a vital role off the bench in all 18 games this season.
No. 2 Notre Dame (11-4-3, 6-1-1 ACC), the ACC Coastal Division champion, will face No. 14 Clemson (10-6-2, 5-2-1 ACC) Friday in the semifinals of the ACC Championship. The match is slated for 5:30 p.m. (ET) at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The game can be seen live on ESPN3.
Offensive Player of the Year – Patrick Hodan, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Midfielder of the Year – Sean Davis, Sr., M, Duke
Defensive Player of the Year – Alex Bono, Jr., GK, Syracuse
Freshman of the Year – Tim Kubel, Fr., D, Louisville
Coach of the Year – Ian McIntyre, Syracuse
All-ACC First Team
Sean Davis, Sr., M, Duke
Ben Strong, Jr., M, Louisville
Andy Craven, Sr., F, North Carolina
Omar Holness, So., M, North Carolina
Boyd Okwuonu, Sr., D, North Carolina
Nick Besler, Sr., M, Notre Dame
Patrick Hodan, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Alex Bono, Jr., GK, Syracuse
Emil Ekblom, So., F, Syracuse
Eric Bird, Sr., M, Virginia
Michael Gamble, Jr., F, Wake Forest
All-ACC Second Team
Zeiko Lewis, So., F, Boston College
Paul Clowes, Jr., M, Clemson
Kyle Fisher, Jr., D, Clemson
Phanuel Kavita, Sr., D, Clemson
Tim Kubel, Fr., D, Louisville
Brendan Moore, Sr., GK, North Carolina
Luke Mishu, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Julian Buescher, Fr., M, Syracuse
Skylar Thomas, Sr., D, Syracuse
Ricardo John, Fr., F, Virginia Tech
Ian Harkes, So., M, Wake Forest
All-ACC Third Team
Manolo Sanchez, Sr., F, Clemson
Andrew Tarbell, So., GK, Clemson
Brody Huitema, So., F, Duke
Zachary Mathers, Jr., D, Duke
Ricardo Velazco, Jr., F, Louisville
Holden Fender, Jr., M, NC State
Jonathan Campbell, Jr., D, North Carolina
Raby George, Jr., M, North Carolina
Rob Lovejoy, Sr., F, North Carolina
Andrew O’Malley, Gr., D, Notre Dame
Patrick Wall, Gr., GK, Notre Dame
Todd Wharton, Jr., M, Virginia
ACC All-Freshman Team
Markus Fjortoft, Fr., D, Duke
Cameron Moseley, Fr., F, Duke
Tim Kubel, Fr., D, Louisville
Zach Knudson, Fr., M, NC State
Alan Winn, Fr., F, North Carolina
Jeffrey Farina, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jon Gallagher, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Julian Buescher, Fr., M, Syracuse
Jake Rozhansky, Fr., M, Virginia
Ricardo John, Fr., F, Virginia Tech
Kris Reaves, Fr., D, Wake Forest
— Sean Carroll, Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
–ND–