Garrison Tubbs Named ACC Defensive Player of the Year
11/8/2023 10:59:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Tubbs becomes the fifth ACC Defensive Player of the Year selection for the Deacs and first since 2017.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Wake Forest men's soccer senior captain Garrison Tubbs has been named 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Tubbs becomes the fifth ACC Defensive Player of the Year selection for Wake Forest men's soccer, joining Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michael Parkhurst (2004), Ike Opara (2008, 2009) and Kevin Politz (2017). He is also the first Demon Deacon to earn one of the conference's player of the year awards since Omir Fernandez was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Bruno Lapa was named ACC Midfielder of the Year in 2018.
"Congratulations to Garrison on this tremendous and well-deserved achievement of being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, joining three program legends in earning this award," said head coach Bobby Muuss. "His growth during his time here as both a player and leader on and off the field continues to set a standard for this group and I look forward to seeing him continue to captain this group as we look to go on a deep NCAA tournament run with the ultimate goal to earn another trophy for this very special program."
Starting all 17 of his appearances so far during the 2023 season, the Brunswick, Ga., native captained Wake Forest's ACC Atlantic Division title-winning squad as the Demon Deacons have been ranked in the top-25 of the United Soccer Coaches poll throughout the season.
The Deacs earned at least one point in each of their final seven ACC regular season matches, as Tubbs anchored a backline that recorded clean sheets against Clemson, Boston College, NC State and North Carolina. Additionally, Wake Forest recorded shutouts against Maryland and Gardner-Webb in non-conference action.
Conceding just 13 goals in Tubbs' 17 appearances, Wake Forest has allowed just 0.78 goals against per game this season, which ranks 20th in the nation and third in the ACC.
In a 3-1 victory over Campbell on Sept. 26, Tubbs recorded the game-winning goal with a header off a corner kick. All four of Tubbs' collegiate goals have been game-winning strikes.
In addition to being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Tubbs also collected 2023 All-ACC first-team honors and was the only defensive player named to the 11-person team.
Prior to the start of his senior season, Tubbs was named to the 2023 Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List and the United Soccer Coaches Watch List for Defenders.
In 2022, Tubbs was named a United Soccer Coaches First-Team Scholar All-American, a United Soccer Coaches All-South Region first-team selection and collected All-ACC second-team accolades.
Additionally, he was named to the 2020 ACC All-Freshman Team and is a three-time All-ACC Academic Team selection.
Tubbs' Career Honors
Tubbs becomes the fifth ACC Defensive Player of the Year selection for Wake Forest men's soccer, joining Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michael Parkhurst (2004), Ike Opara (2008, 2009) and Kevin Politz (2017). He is also the first Demon Deacon to earn one of the conference's player of the year awards since Omir Fernandez was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Bruno Lapa was named ACC Midfielder of the Year in 2018.
"Congratulations to Garrison on this tremendous and well-deserved achievement of being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, joining three program legends in earning this award," said head coach Bobby Muuss. "His growth during his time here as both a player and leader on and off the field continues to set a standard for this group and I look forward to seeing him continue to captain this group as we look to go on a deep NCAA tournament run with the ultimate goal to earn another trophy for this very special program."
Starting all 17 of his appearances so far during the 2023 season, the Brunswick, Ga., native captained Wake Forest's ACC Atlantic Division title-winning squad as the Demon Deacons have been ranked in the top-25 of the United Soccer Coaches poll throughout the season.
The Deacs earned at least one point in each of their final seven ACC regular season matches, as Tubbs anchored a backline that recorded clean sheets against Clemson, Boston College, NC State and North Carolina. Additionally, Wake Forest recorded shutouts against Maryland and Gardner-Webb in non-conference action.
Conceding just 13 goals in Tubbs' 17 appearances, Wake Forest has allowed just 0.78 goals against per game this season, which ranks 20th in the nation and third in the ACC.
In a 3-1 victory over Campbell on Sept. 26, Tubbs recorded the game-winning goal with a header off a corner kick. All four of Tubbs' collegiate goals have been game-winning strikes.
In addition to being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Tubbs also collected 2023 All-ACC first-team honors and was the only defensive player named to the 11-person team.
Prior to the start of his senior season, Tubbs was named to the 2023 Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List and the United Soccer Coaches Watch List for Defenders.
In 2022, Tubbs was named a United Soccer Coaches First-Team Scholar All-American, a United Soccer Coaches All-South Region first-team selection and collected All-ACC second-team accolades.
Additionally, he was named to the 2020 ACC All-Freshman Team and is a three-time All-ACC Academic Team selection.
Tubbs' Career Honors
- 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
- 2023 All-ACC First-Team Selection
- ACC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 17, 2023)
- 2023 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
- 2023 United Soccer Coaches Watch List: Defenders
- 2023 College Soccer News Preseason First-Team All-American
- 2023 TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Third-Team Best XI
- 2022-23 Edwin G. Wilson Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2022-23 Walt Chyzowych's Award for Leadership & Character
- 2022-23 ACC Academic Honor Roll
- 2022 United Soccer Coaches First-Team Scholar All-American
- 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-South Region First-Team Selection
- 2022 All-ACC Second-Team Selection
- 2022 All-ACC Academic Team Selection
- 2022 TopDrawerSoccer Top 100 (No. 94)
- ACC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 13, 2022)
- 2021-22 ACC Academic Honor Roll
- 2021 All-ACC Academic Team Selection
- TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week (Sept. 21, 2021)
- 2020-21 ACC Academic Honor Roll
- 2020 All-ACC Freshman Team Selection
- 2020 All-ACC Academic Team Selection
- 2020 Wake Forest Male Freshman of the Year
- 2020-21 TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI First-Team Selection
Players Mentioned
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