Six Demon Deacons Earn ACC Honors
11/8/2023 10:59:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Five upperclassmen along with freshman Winston-Salem native Liam O’Gara earned All-ACC selections.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Six members of the Wake Forest men's soccer team were selected for 2023 All-ACC honors, the conference office announced on Wednesday. Senior Garrison Tubbs was the only defender in the conference to earn an All-ACC first-team nod while seniors Hosei Kijima and Jahlane Forbes along with juniors Roald Mitchell and Trace Alphin were named to the All-ACC second-team. Winston-Salem native Liam O'Gara, meanwhile, earned honors as an ACC All-Freshman Team selection.
In addition to being named All-ACC first-team, Tubbs was also tabbed the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Demon Deacon to earn the prestigious distinction joining Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michael Parkhurst (2004), Ike Opara (2008, 2009) and Kevin Politz (2017).
With the five upperclassmen earning conference honors, Wake Forest has now earned 59 All-ACC selections under ninth year head coach. The five selections on the first two teams are also tied for most in the conference in 2023.
Additionally the four second-team selections are also tied for most in a single season in program history (2003) and the Demon Deacons have had 11 first-year players earn ACC All-Freshman Team selections over the last nine seasons.
"We talk about it all the time that no individual award is possible without the overall team's success," Muuss said. "I am very happy for the recognition of these six young men and I am extremely proud of our group as a whole. Our leadership group and our senior class have done an incredible job of continuing to push the standards and expectations of this program. This is a group that loves to be around each other, compete, train and make each other better both on and off the field."
Garrison Tubbs | All-ACC First-Team
Serving as team captain for the second-straight season, Tubbs was instrumental in Wake Forest claiming its fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in nine seasons while recording four-straight conference clean sheets against Clemson, Boston College, NC State and North Carolina.
In his 17 appearances so far this season, the senior has led a backline that has allowed just 0.78 goals against per game. He also scored the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory over Campbell on Sept. 26.
Tubbs is the 15th All-ACC first-team selection under Muuss and the first since Kyle Holcomb in 2021.
Hosei Kijima | All-ACC Second Team
Joining Tubbs in wearing the captain's armband in 2023, Kijima has been a versatile asset for the Demon Deacons as he's started all 17 of his appearances to record eight points off of three goals and two assists.
In a season-opening victory over Grand Canyon, Kijima recorded a pair of assists. He also scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Clemson and also netted goals against NC State and Louisville. The 80th-minute goal against Louisville in the regular season finale secured Wake Forest the outright ACC Atlantic Division title, as the Deacs' five division titles are now most in the conference since the current format began in 2014.
Over his four years in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest is 14-0-1 when Kijima records either a goal or an assist.
Jahlane Forbes | All-ACC Second Team
Earning All-ACC honors for the second consecutive season, Forbes in 2023 has recorded career highs across the board in points (15), assists (seven) and goals (four) as he's made 18 appearances with seven starts.
His seven assists this season are most by a Demon Deacon since Machop Chol's eight in 2019 and his 19 career assists ranks tied for 19th in program history alongside Isaiah Parente, Ben Stafford, Jeremiah White and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famers Sam Cronin and Neil Covone.
Forbes has also netted a personal best four goals on the campaign.
Roald Mitchell | All-ACC Second Team
Leading the Demon Deacons in shots (44), points (21), shots on goal (20), goals (nine) and game-winning goals (three), Mitchell has earned an All-ACC second-team selection for the second consecutive season.
Mitchell has logged a goal in six different matches this season including game-winning strikes against Furman, Liberty and North Carolina. In a 5-1 victory over Furman, Mitchell registered his second career hat trick, joining Scott Sealy, Erik Brandsma, John Duguid, Henry Riggs-Miller and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Mark Erwin as the only Demon Deacons in the program's 43-year history to have multiple hat tricks.
In addition to his career-high nine goals, the Montclair, N.J., native has registered three assists.
Trace Alphin | All-ACC Second-Team
Starting all 18 matches so far in 2023 for the Demon Deacons in goal, Alphin currently sports a personal-best in goals against average (0.79) while logging nearly 1,600 minutes of action. Additionally, he has recorded five clean sheets while also combining with Devin Armstrong for two more shutouts in victories over Gardner-Webb and NC State.
In a 0-0 draw against then-No. 20 Maryland, Alphin stopped a Terrapin penalty kick in the 72nd minute to secure the road draw and earn his second career ACC Defensive Player of the Week selection.
He is the first Demon Deacon goalkeeper to earn All-ACC honors since Andrew Pannenberg was named to the third-team in 2019.
Liam O' Gara | ACC All-Freshman Team
An immediate impact player for the Demon Deacons, O'Gara is the fourth Demon Deacon in the last four years to earn ACC All-Freshman Team honors, joining teammates Garrison Tubbs (2020), Cooper Flax (2022) and Vlad Walent (2022).
The Winston-Salem native is one of only three Demon Deacons to start all 18 matches for Wake Forest so far this season and has logged 1,457 minutes of action – third on the team behind only Tubbs and Trace Alphin.
He has recorded two assists on his debut campaign in victories against Furman and Robert Morris.
In addition to being named All-ACC first-team, Tubbs was also tabbed the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Demon Deacon to earn the prestigious distinction joining Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michael Parkhurst (2004), Ike Opara (2008, 2009) and Kevin Politz (2017).
With the five upperclassmen earning conference honors, Wake Forest has now earned 59 All-ACC selections under ninth year head coach. The five selections on the first two teams are also tied for most in the conference in 2023.
Additionally the four second-team selections are also tied for most in a single season in program history (2003) and the Demon Deacons have had 11 first-year players earn ACC All-Freshman Team selections over the last nine seasons.
"We talk about it all the time that no individual award is possible without the overall team's success," Muuss said. "I am very happy for the recognition of these six young men and I am extremely proud of our group as a whole. Our leadership group and our senior class have done an incredible job of continuing to push the standards and expectations of this program. This is a group that loves to be around each other, compete, train and make each other better both on and off the field."
Garrison Tubbs | All-ACC First-Team
Serving as team captain for the second-straight season, Tubbs was instrumental in Wake Forest claiming its fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in nine seasons while recording four-straight conference clean sheets against Clemson, Boston College, NC State and North Carolina.
In his 17 appearances so far this season, the senior has led a backline that has allowed just 0.78 goals against per game. He also scored the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory over Campbell on Sept. 26.
Tubbs is the 15th All-ACC first-team selection under Muuss and the first since Kyle Holcomb in 2021.
Hosei Kijima | All-ACC Second Team
Joining Tubbs in wearing the captain's armband in 2023, Kijima has been a versatile asset for the Demon Deacons as he's started all 17 of his appearances to record eight points off of three goals and two assists.
In a season-opening victory over Grand Canyon, Kijima recorded a pair of assists. He also scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Clemson and also netted goals against NC State and Louisville. The 80th-minute goal against Louisville in the regular season finale secured Wake Forest the outright ACC Atlantic Division title, as the Deacs' five division titles are now most in the conference since the current format began in 2014.
Over his four years in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest is 14-0-1 when Kijima records either a goal or an assist.
Jahlane Forbes | All-ACC Second Team
Earning All-ACC honors for the second consecutive season, Forbes in 2023 has recorded career highs across the board in points (15), assists (seven) and goals (four) as he's made 18 appearances with seven starts.
His seven assists this season are most by a Demon Deacon since Machop Chol's eight in 2019 and his 19 career assists ranks tied for 19th in program history alongside Isaiah Parente, Ben Stafford, Jeremiah White and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famers Sam Cronin and Neil Covone.
Forbes has also netted a personal best four goals on the campaign.
Roald Mitchell | All-ACC Second Team
Leading the Demon Deacons in shots (44), points (21), shots on goal (20), goals (nine) and game-winning goals (three), Mitchell has earned an All-ACC second-team selection for the second consecutive season.
Mitchell has logged a goal in six different matches this season including game-winning strikes against Furman, Liberty and North Carolina. In a 5-1 victory over Furman, Mitchell registered his second career hat trick, joining Scott Sealy, Erik Brandsma, John Duguid, Henry Riggs-Miller and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Mark Erwin as the only Demon Deacons in the program's 43-year history to have multiple hat tricks.
In addition to his career-high nine goals, the Montclair, N.J., native has registered three assists.
Trace Alphin | All-ACC Second-Team
Starting all 18 matches so far in 2023 for the Demon Deacons in goal, Alphin currently sports a personal-best in goals against average (0.79) while logging nearly 1,600 minutes of action. Additionally, he has recorded five clean sheets while also combining with Devin Armstrong for two more shutouts in victories over Gardner-Webb and NC State.
In a 0-0 draw against then-No. 20 Maryland, Alphin stopped a Terrapin penalty kick in the 72nd minute to secure the road draw and earn his second career ACC Defensive Player of the Week selection.
He is the first Demon Deacon goalkeeper to earn All-ACC honors since Andrew Pannenberg was named to the third-team in 2019.
Liam O' Gara | ACC All-Freshman Team
An immediate impact player for the Demon Deacons, O'Gara is the fourth Demon Deacon in the last four years to earn ACC All-Freshman Team honors, joining teammates Garrison Tubbs (2020), Cooper Flax (2022) and Vlad Walent (2022).
The Winston-Salem native is one of only three Demon Deacons to start all 18 matches for Wake Forest so far this season and has logged 1,457 minutes of action – third on the team behind only Tubbs and Trace Alphin.
He has recorded two assists on his debut campaign in victories against Furman and Robert Morris.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Midfielder
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Defender
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Midfielder
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