College Soccer News Names Five Deacons to All-American Team
12/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 15, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The postseason honors continue to roll in for members of the Wake Forest men's soccer team as five Deacons were named All-Americans by College Soccer News.
Sam Cronin, Ike Opara and Marcus Tracy were named first team All-Americans, while Cody Arnoux and Corben Bone notched second team accolades.
The honor marks the third time this postseason that Tracy and Opara have earned All-American honors. Tracy has been named a first team All-American by Top Drawer Soccer and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Opara was a first-team selection by Top Drawer Soccer and a second-team pick by the NSCAA.
A senior midfielder from Winston-Salem, Cronin played and started every game during the 2008 season, extending his consecutive games started streak to 98. He became the all-time career leader in games played and games started at Wake Forest during the 2008 season. A 2008 Hermann Trophy finalist and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner, Cronin scored 10 goals on the season.
Opara was named the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The sophomore defender from Durham, N.C., helped the Wake Forest defense to 14 shutouts during the 2008 season. A 2008 first team All-ACC selection, Opara also scored five goals during the 2008 season.
Tracy finished the 2008 season with 13 goals, 10 assists and 36 points. The senior forward from Newtown, Conn., was one of only two players in the country to finish the season with double-digit totals in goals and assists. A 2008 Hermann Trophy finalist, Tracy scored at least one point in 16 of the team's 24 games in 2008.
Arnoux led Wake Forest with 17 goals and 42 points in 2008. The junior forward from Wilmington, N.C., became just the third Wake Forest player to eclipse 40 points in a season and the first since Scott Sealy finished the 2004 season with 44 points. Arnoux finished the season strong, scoring 16 goals in the last 16 games of the year.
A sophomore midfielder from Plano, Texas, Bone led the country in assists with 17 during 2008. The 17 assists set a new school record for most assists in a single season. A first team All-ACC selection, Bone also scored seven goals in 2008 and finished the season with 31 points.
2008 College Soccer News All-American Teams
First Team
GK, Jovan Bubonja, Illinois-Chicago
D, Joel Gustafsson, St. John's
D, Yohance Marshall, South Florida
D, Ike Opara, Wake Forest
M, Nelson Becerra, St. John's
M, Sam Cronin, Wake Forest
M, Andrei Gotsmanov, Creighton
M, Jeremy Hall, Maryland
F, Mike Grella, Duke
F, Marcus Tracy, Wake Forest
F, Steve Zakuani, Akron
Second Team
GK, Zack Simmons, UMass
D, Omar Gonzalez, Maryland
D, Barry Rice, Kentucky
D, Chris Schuler, Creighton
M, Alejandro Bedoya, Boston College
M, Corben Bone, Wake Forest
M, Baggio Husidic, Illinois-Chicago
F, Quincy Amarikwa, UC Davis
F, Cody Arnoux, Wake Forest
F, Doug DeMartin, Michigan State
F, Chris Pontius, UC Santa Barbara
Third Team
GK, Stefan Frei, California
D, Angelo Amato, Monmouth
D, Michael Holody, Michigan
D, Tennant McVea, Loyola (Md.)
M, Matt Murphy, UC Irvine
M, Brad Ring, Indiana
M, Michael Stephens, UCLA
F, Graciano Brito, Quinnipiac
F, Daniel Revivo, Winthrop
F, Chris Salvaggione, Charlotte
F, Andrew Wiedeman, California
