Wake Forest Athletics
Hesmer, Kennedy Selected for NC Soccer HOF
1/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 7, 2014
By Alex Botoman, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's first men's soccer coach George Kennedy and former standout goalkeeper Will Hesmer will be inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame later this month.
One of the best goalkeepers in program history, Hesmer played for the Demon Deacons from 2000-03, earning All-ACC honors three times including first team honors in 2002 and 2003. A native of Wilson, N.C., Hesmer ranks in the Top 10 in program history in almost every goalkeeping category and boasts the second-lowest career goals against average for a Wake Forest `keeper at 0.82.
Hesmer was drafted 17th overall by the Kansas City Wizards in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft and later went on to star for the Columbus Crew, leading the team to the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup championship in 2008. He became only the second goalkeeper in MLS history to score a goal himself, doing so against Toronto FC in 2010.
Hesmer retired from professional soccer following the 2012 MLS season and moved back to North Carolina.
Kennedy founded the soccer program at Wake Forest in 1980 and coached the Demon Deacons for six seasons. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1981 after leading the Deacons to an 11-7-4 record in only their second season of play.
After leaving Wake Forest, Kennedy continued to stay involved in the North Carolina soccer scene, coaching the boys' and girls' soccer teams at Western Guilford High School for 25 years before taking his current position as the girls' soccer coach at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville.
Hesmer and Kennedy will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony on January 25, along with longtime high school coach Brien Braswell.
