Wake Forest Athletics
Three Deacs Named Preseason All-Americans by CollegeSoccerNews.com
7/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
July 7, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Three Wake Forest men's soccer players were named Preseason All-Americans, as announced by CollegeSoccerNews.com.
Juniors Corben Bone and Ike Opara were named to the first team, while senior Cody Arnoux was a second team honoree.
Wake Forest led all schools with three players named to the preseason All-America list. Wake Forest was also one of only two schools to place two players on the first team. St. John's also had two players recognized as first team All-Americans.
A midfielder from Plano, Texas, Bone led the nation in assists in 2008 with 17, a new single-season record at Wake Forest. He was named a first team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and a second team All-American by College Soccer News and Soccer America. The first-team All-ACC selection also scored seven goals in 2008 and finished third on the team with 31 points. Bone enters his junior season with 25 assists, four shy of the Wake Forest career assists record.
Opara, a defender from Durham, N.C., played in 22 games during 2008 and helped to contribute to the team's 14 shutouts. Opara was named the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and also earned first team All-American honors from Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News. The NSCAA and Soccer America named Opara a second team All-American. Opara also contributed on the offensive end, scoring five goals. The junior from Durham recently appeared with the United States U-20 National Team in a pair of games against Costa Rica.
One of the most prolific goal scorers in college soccer, Arnoux led the Demon Deacons with 17 goals and 42 points in 2008. The All-ACC first team selection and 2008 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist became just the third player in school history to eclipse 40 points in a single season. A senior forward from Wilmington, N.C., Arnoux was also named a second team All-American by the NSCAA. He scored 16 of his goals in the team's final 16 games of the season, including three goals in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Arnoux enters his senior season ranked fifth all-time at Wake Forest in career goals with 33 and points with 84.
2009 CollegeSoccerNews.com Preseason All-American Teams
First Team
Andre Akpan, Harvard
Nelson Becerra, St. John's
Corben Bone, Wake Forest
Jovan Bubonja, Illinois-Chicago
Joel Gustafsson, St. John's
Craig Henderson, Dartmouth
Samson Malijani, FDU
Ike Opara, Wake Forest
Chris Schuler, Creighton
Michael Stephens, UCLA
Andrew Wiedeman, California
Second Team
Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Akron
Ben Arikian, Massachusetts
Cody Arnoux, Wake Forest
Mark Blades, Northwestern
Conor Chin, San Francisco
Byron Dacy, Creighton
Zack Johnson, West Virginia
Tenant McVea, Loyola (Md.)
J.T. Noone, Temple
Barry Rice, Kentucky
Toni Stahl, Connecticut
Third Team
Nick Cardenas, San Diego State
Paulo de Silva, SMU
Ryan Kinne, Monmouth
Jimmy Maurer, South Carolina
Tim Ream, St. Louis
Kofi Sarkodie, Akron
Patrick Sigler, Cal Poly
Tony Tchani, Virginia
Alex Torda, Dayton
Casey Townsend, Maryland
Garrett Webb, Drake
