Five Demon Deacons Named to 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Teams
12/5/2023 2:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The five selections ties a program record as team captains Garrison Tubbs and Hosei Kijima earn United Soccer Coaches All-South Region first-team honors.
Kansas City, Mo. -- Tying a program record with five selections, Wake Forest men's soccer's Garrison Tubbs (first-team), Hosei Kijima (first-team), Jahlane Forbes (second-team), Trace Alphin (second-team) and Roald Mitchell (third-team) have been named to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-South Region teams, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Tubbs becomes the first Demon Deacon since Bruno Lapa in 2018-19 to earn multiple United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-South Region honors and the 23rd overall in program history. It is also the ninth-straight year in which Wake Forest has had at least one All-South Region first-team selection.
Named the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and the only defender selected to the All-ACC First-Team, Tubbs captained a Wake Forest program to its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the team's fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in nine seasons.
Starting all 18 of his appearances, Wake Forest recorded seven clean sheets on the season while conceding just 0.89 goals against per game, the Deacs' best mark since the 2019 season.
Wearing the captain's armband alongside Tubbs and Cristian Escribano, Kijima started all 18 of his appearances in 2023 to record eight points off of three goals and two assists. In the Deacs' season-opening victory over Grand Canyon, Kijima recorded a pair of assists while scoring three times in ACC play including the ACC Atlantic Division-winning goal against Louisville.
Over the last four years, Wake Forest was 14-0-1 when the Yokohama, Japan, native recorded either a goal or an assist.
Tying for the team lead in assists with seven along with a career-high five goals, Forbes appeared in all 19 of the Deacs' matches in 2023 with 18 starts. He scored in five different matches during the season including three in the team's final five contests.
With his seven assists as a senior, Forbes' 19 career assists ranks tied for 19th in program history alongside Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famers Sam Cronin and Neil Covone along with Jeremiah White, Ben Stafford and former teammate Isaiah Parente.
Alphin is the first Demon Deacon goalkeeper to earn All-South Region honors since Alec Ferrell earned a first-team nod in 2015. Starting all 19 of the Deacs' matches in 2023, the Raleigh, N.C., native recorded 38 saves on the season with five clean sheets along with two combined shutouts.
He sported a 0.90 goals against average and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week in early September following a clean sheet and late penalty kick save on the road at No. 20 Maryland.
Mitchell led Wake Forest in points (21), goals (nine) and game-winning goals (three) during the 2023 season as he was selected to the All-ACC second-team.
The Montclair, N.J., native collected a goal in six different matches and became just the sixth Demon Deacon in program history to record multiple hat tricks in a career in the Deacs' 5-1 victory over Furman.
The five United Soccer Coaches All-South Region selections matches the program record set in 2007 and 2008.
With their honors, the Demon Deacons have had a total of 31 All-South Region selections over the last nine years including 18 first-team honorees. Additionally, Wake Forest has had three or more All-South Region selections eight times under head coach Bobby Muuss and this marks the sixth time in the last nine seasons Wake Forest has had multiple first-team selections.Tubbs becomes the first Demon Deacon since Bruno Lapa in 2018-19 to earn multiple United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-South Region honors and the 23rd overall in program history. It is also the ninth-straight year in which Wake Forest has had at least one All-South Region first-team selection.
Named the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and the only defender selected to the All-ACC First-Team, Tubbs captained a Wake Forest program to its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the team's fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in nine seasons.
Starting all 18 of his appearances, Wake Forest recorded seven clean sheets on the season while conceding just 0.89 goals against per game, the Deacs' best mark since the 2019 season.
Wearing the captain's armband alongside Tubbs and Cristian Escribano, Kijima started all 18 of his appearances in 2023 to record eight points off of three goals and two assists. In the Deacs' season-opening victory over Grand Canyon, Kijima recorded a pair of assists while scoring three times in ACC play including the ACC Atlantic Division-winning goal against Louisville.
Over the last four years, Wake Forest was 14-0-1 when the Yokohama, Japan, native recorded either a goal or an assist.
Tying for the team lead in assists with seven along with a career-high five goals, Forbes appeared in all 19 of the Deacs' matches in 2023 with 18 starts. He scored in five different matches during the season including three in the team's final five contests.
With his seven assists as a senior, Forbes' 19 career assists ranks tied for 19th in program history alongside Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famers Sam Cronin and Neil Covone along with Jeremiah White, Ben Stafford and former teammate Isaiah Parente.
Alphin is the first Demon Deacon goalkeeper to earn All-South Region honors since Alec Ferrell earned a first-team nod in 2015. Starting all 19 of the Deacs' matches in 2023, the Raleigh, N.C., native recorded 38 saves on the season with five clean sheets along with two combined shutouts.
He sported a 0.90 goals against average and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week in early September following a clean sheet and late penalty kick save on the road at No. 20 Maryland.
Mitchell led Wake Forest in points (21), goals (nine) and game-winning goals (three) during the 2023 season as he was selected to the All-ACC second-team.
The Montclair, N.J., native collected a goal in six different matches and became just the sixth Demon Deacon in program history to record multiple hat tricks in a career in the Deacs' 5-1 victory over Furman.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Defender
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Forward
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Defender
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