GREENSBORO, N.C. – Wake Forest senior defender Kevin Politz has been named the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year and leads the sport’s All-ACC Academic team, as announced today by the conference office.
A senior center back majoring in mathematical business, Politz helped lead the Demon Deacons to their second straight ACC Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Championship. He was named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year along with being selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team and to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America First Team. The Morganville, New Jersey, native was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team and was voted as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year after leading a Wake Forest defense that ranked fifth in the country in goals allowed per game.
Louisville’s Tim Kubel was named to the All-ACC Academic Team for the fourth time in his career, while Clemson’s Patrick Bunk-Andersen, North Carolina’s Alex Comsia, NC State’s Julius Duchscherer, Virginia’s Jeff Caldwell, and Wake Forest’s Brad Dunwell were recognized on the All-ACC Academic Team for a third career time.
All 12 ACC men’s soccer programs had at least one player honored, led by Duke, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest with five apiece. NC State’s Duchscherer, Notre Dame’s Jeff Farina and Jack Casey, Syracuse’s Hendrik Hilpert, and Wake Forest’s Politz were also named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, while Louisville’s Kubel, North Carolina’s Comsia, and Wake Forest’s Politz were named United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Americans.
Three players on the All-ACC Academic Team – Duke’s Brian White, Louisville’s Kubel, and Wake Forest’s Politz – were also named United Soccer Coaches All-Americans, while 14 players also garnered All-ACC accolades.
The ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were established in September of 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their careers, as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.
The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.
2017 ACC Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kevin Politz, Sr., Wake Forest (Mathematical Business)
2017 All-ACC Academic Men’s Soccer Team
Callum Johnson, So., M, Boston College; Marketing
Patrick Bunk-Andersen***, Jr., D, Clemson; Sports Communication
Ximo Miralles**, Sr., GK, Clemson; Economics
Oliver Shannon**, Sr., M, Clemson; Sports Communication
Cody Brinkman**, Sr., M, Duke; Electrical & Computing Engineering
Markus Fjortoft**, Gr., D, Duke; Master of Management Studies
Carter Manley, Sr., D, Duke; Political Science
William Pulisic, Fr., GK, Duke; Undeclared
Brian White**, Sr., M, Duke; Political Science
Adrien Cabon, Jr., M, Louisville; Sport Administration
Tim Kubel****, Sr., D, Louisville; Marketing
Tate Schmitt, Jr., F, Louisville; Marketing
Alex Comsia***, Sr., D, North Carolina; Business Administration
Simon Blotko**, So., D, NC State; Business Administration - Undeclared
Julius Duchscherer***, So., M, NC State; Business Administration - Undeclared
Leon Krapf, Fr., GK, NC State; Business Administration - Undeclared
Jack Casey, So., M, Notre Dame; Economics, Political Science
Felicien Dumas, Jr., D, Notre Dame; Finance
Jeff Farina**, Sr., D, Notre Dame; Finance
Matt Habrowski, Gr., D, Notre Dame; Applied & Comp Math & Stats
Chris Hubbard**, Gr., GK, Notre Dame; Accountancy
Edward Kizza, Fr., F, Pitt; Undecided
Jonathan Hagman**, Jr., M, Syracuse; Finance
Hendrik Hilpert**, Jr., GK, Syracuse; Economics/Finance
Johannes Pieles**, So., F, Syracuse; Sport Management
Pablo Aguilar, Sr., M, Virginia; Foreign Affairs
Joe Bell, Fr., M, Virginia; Undeclared
Jeff Caldwell***, Sr., GK, Virginia; History
Sergi Nus, Jr., D, Virginia; History
Elias Tamburini, Sr., D, Virginia Tech; Psychology
Brad Dunwell***, Jr., M, Wake Forest; Communication
Omir Fernandez, Fr., M, Wake Forest; Undeclared
Andreu Cases Mundet, So., GK, Wake Forest; Undeclared
Kevin Politz**, Sr., D, Wake Forest; Mathematical Business
Brandon Servania, Fr., M, Wake Forest; Undeclared
* - Number of All-ACC Academic honors