GREENSBORO – North Carolina junior Boyd Okwuonu was named Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday, as announced in conjunction with the 2013 All-ACC Men’s Soccer Teams.

In a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players, Okwuonu was selected as the best defender in the league for 2013. The preseason MAC Hermann Trophy candidate has started every match at center back for one of the elite defensive groups in the nation.

Okwuonu, from Edmond, Okla., helped anchor the Carolina defense to nine shutouts – the best mark in the ACC regular season – and a 0.62 goals-against-average that ranks among the top-10 in the country.

He earns his third career ACC honor by landing on the All-ACC first team for a second-straight season. Okwuonu is the second North Carolina player to be named ACC Defensive Player of the Year after Matt Hedges earned the citation in 2011.

Tar Heel junior keeper Brendan Moore and sophomore defender Jonathan Campbell were named to the All-ACC second team. Moore led the conference in shutouts, goals-against-average and save percentage for the majority of the 2013 season.

Campbell played alongside Okwuonu as a center back in his second season at Carolina. The Greensboro, N.C., native started all 16 matches he appeared in this season. He was an ACC All-Freshman Team selection in 2012.

Junior defender Jordan McCrary was selected Third Team All-ACC. The Marietta, Ga., product started all 17 matches he was available for, scoring one goal and two assists. The dynamic outside back was a 2011 ACC All-Freshman selection.

Midfielder Omar Holness earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team. The Kingston, Jamaica, native started 15 of 18 matches for Carolina. He scored one goal and is tied for the team lead with three assists.

Notre Dame led all teams with six selections, including offensive player of the year Harrison Shipp and coach of the year Bobby Clark.

Duke, Maryland, North Carolina and Wake Forest all had four players selected.

Boston College’s Zeiko Lewis was named ACC Freshman of the Year.
ACC Offensive Player of the Year – Harrison Shipp, Sr., F, Notre Dame

ACC Defensive Player of the Year – Boyd Okwuonu, Jr., D, North Carolina

ACC Freshman of the Year – Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College

ACC Coach of the Year – Bobby Clark, Notre Dame

All-ACC First Team
Thomas McNamara, Gr., M, Clemson
Sebastien Ibeagha, Sr., D/M, Duke
Patrick Mullins, Sr., F, Maryland
Dan Metzger, Jr., M, Maryland
Boyd Okwuonu, Jr., D, North Carolina
Harrison Shipp, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Nick Besler, Jr., M, Notre Dame
Kyle Renfro, Sr., GK, Virginia Tech
Sean Okoli, Jr., F, Wake Forest
Luca Gimenez, Sr., M/F, Wake Forest
Jared Watts, Sr., M, Wake Forest

All-ACC Second Team
Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College
Sean Davis, Jr., M, Duke
Schillo Tshuma, So., M/F, Maryland
Nazmi Albadawi, Sr., M, NC State
Jonathan Campbell, So., D, North Carolina
Brendan Moore, Jr., GK, North Carolina
Patrick Hodan, So., M, Notre Dame
Emil Ekblom, Fr., F, Syracuse
Eric Bird, Jr., M, Virginia
Darius Madison, So., F, Virginia
Jalen Robinson, So., D, Wake Forest

All-ACC Third Team
Jack Metcalf, Sr., M, Clemson
Kyle Fisher, So., D, Clemson
Zach Mathers, So., M, Duke
Brody Huitema, Fr., F, Duke
Mikey Ambrose, So., D, Maryland
Alex Martinez, Sr., M, NC State
Jordan McCrary, Jr., M/D, North Carolina
Vince Cicciarelli, Jr., F, Notre Dame
Luke Mishu, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Grant Van De Casteele, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Alex Bono, So., GK, Syracuse
Jordan Allen, Fr., M, Virginia

All-ACC Freshman Team
Zeiko Lewis, Fr., M/F, Boston College
Brody Huitema, Fr., F, Duke
Zack Steffen, Fr., GK, Maryland
Michael Sauers, Fr., M, Maryland
Travis Wannemuehler, Fr., F, NC State
Omar Holness, Fr., M, North Carolina
Emil Ekblom, Fr., F, Syracuse
Alex Halis, Fr., M, Syracuse
Jordan Allen, Fr., M, Virginia
Ian Harkes, Fr., M, Wake Forest