McIntyre, Bono Capture ACC Awards

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Syracuse University took home two individual awards when Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced the 2014 men's soccer award winners and all-conference teams on Thursday, Nov. 13. Orange head coach Ian McIntyre was tabbed the ACC Coach of the Year and junior goalkeeper Alex Bono was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Overall, a total of four Syracuse players earned all-conference accolades. Sophomore Emil Ekblom joined Bono on the All-ACC First Team. Senior Skylar Thomas and freshman Julian Buescher garnered All-ACC Second Team recognition. Buescher also landed a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.

The all-conference teams and individual award winners were determined by a vote of the league's 12 head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own players.

After being picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division during the preseason, McIntyre guided the Orange to a share of the division title and the No. 2 seed in the ACC Championship with a 5-2-1 league mark. Syracuse is 15-2-1 overall and captured the No. 1 national ranking for the first time in school history on Nov. 4. The Orange's 15 wins and .861 winning percentage are the best in Division I soccer.

It's the second conference coach of the year honor in the last three seasons for McIntyre. He and his assistant coaches were selected as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year in 2012.

Bono is the first keeper in school history to receive a conference individual award. He leads the ACC in goals-against average (0.38), save percentage (.899), shutouts (12) and ranks fourth in saves (62). Bono's GAA and save percentage totals rank second nationally and his 12 clean sheets are a Syracuse single-season record.

Ekblom is Syracuse's leading scorer and he ranks third in the ACC in goals (7) and fourth in points (17). Six of his seven tallies have been game-winners, tied for the third-most in the country. Ekblom registered a season-high three points (1 goal, 1 assist) in wins against Cornell and Bucknell, respectively.

Thomas has 16 starts this year at center back and, along with Bono, anchors a Syracuse defense that is tied for the national lead for the fewest goals allowed (7). Thomas has been a force in the offensive third as well. He has a personal-best three goals this season, including the match-winners against Virginia and Boston College.

A central midfielder, Buescher has started 17 games and has been credited with four assists. Three of his four helpers have been on game-winning goals. Buescher set up the deciding tallies against Virginia and Albany in the regular season and Duke in the ACC quarterfinals.

Syracuse will take on No. 19 Louisville on Friday, Nov. 14 in the semifinals of the ACC Men's Soccer Championship. Game time is slated for 8 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

2014 ACC Men's Soccer Awards
Offensive Player of the Year - Patrick Hodan, Notre Dame
Midfielder of the Year - Sean Davis, Duke
Defensive Player of the Year - Alex Bono, Syracuse
Freshman of the Year - Tim Kubel, Louisville
Coach of the Year - Ian McIntyre, Syracuse

All-ACC First Team
Sean Davis, Sr., M, Duke
Ben Strong, Jr., M, Louisville
Andy Craven, Sr., F, North Carolina
Omar Holness, So., M, North Carolina
Boyd Okwuonu, Sr., D, North Carolina
Nick Besler, Sr., M, Notre Dame
Patrick Hodan, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Alex Bono, Jr., GK, Syracuse
Emil Ekblom, So., F, Syracuse
Eric Bird, Sr., M, Virginia
Michael Gamble, Jr., F, Wake Forest

All-ACC Second Team
Zeiko Lewis, So., F, Boston College
Paul Clowes, Jr., M, Clemson
Kyle Fisher, Jr., D, Clemson
Phanuel Kavita, Sr., D, Clemson
Tim Kubel, Fr., D, Louisville
Brendan Moore, Sr., GK, North Carolina
Luke Mishu, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Julian Buescher, Fr., M, Syracuse
Skylar Thomas, Sr., D, Syracuse
Ricardo John, Fr., F, Virginia Tech
Ian Harkes, So., M, Wake Forest

All-ACC Third Team
Manolo Sanchez, Sr., F, Clemson
Andrew Tarbell, So., GK, Clemson
Brody Huitema, So., F, Duke
Zachary Mathers, Jr., D, Duke
Ricardo Velazco, Jr., F, Louisville
Holden Fender, Jr., M, NC State
Jonathan Campbell, Jr., D, North Carolina
Raby George, Jr., M, North Carolina
Rob Lovejoy, Sr., F, North Carolina
Andrew O'Malley, Gr., D, Notre Dame
Patrick Wall, Gr., GK, Notre Dame
Todd Wharton, Jr., M, Virginia

ACC All-Freshmen Team
Markus Fjortoft, Fr., D, Duke
Cameron Moseley, Fr., F, Duke
Tim Kubel, Fr., D, Louisville
Zach Knudson, Fr., M, NC State
Alan Winn, Fr., F, North Carolina
Jeffrey Farina, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jon Gallagher, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Julian Buescher, Fr., M, Syracuse
Jake Rozhansky, Fr., M, Virginia
Ricardo John, Fr., F, Virginia Tech
Kris Reaves, Fr., D, Wake Forest

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Alex Bono

Julian Buescher

Emil Ekblom

Skylar Thomas

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