By Scott Adamson
Adamsonmedia.com
The Atlantic Coast Conference has long claimed elite status in basketball, and football moved to the top of the heap last season.
But men’s soccer?
Yeah, the ACC is pretty much all good, all the time.
In advance of Selection Monday, when the 2017 NCAA Tournament field will be announced, the league has the No. 1-ranked team in Wake Forest, three teams in the top six (Clemson is No. 5 and North Carolina, No. 6), and seven squads in the top 25.
The conference’s RPI is even more impressive.
North Carolina, Wake and Duke hold down the top three spots while Clemson, Louisville and Notre Dame lock down positions five through seven.
Wake Forest finished as national runner-up last season, falling to Stanford on penalty kicks as the Cardinal claimed its second consecutive national championship.
“The ACC is hands down the best soccer conference in America,” Demon Deacons coach Bobby Muuss said.
The semifinals of the ACC Tournament are set for Wednesday when No. 6-seed Virginia host No. 7 Notre Dame, and No. 1 Wake Forest plays No. 5 Clemson at home.
The first three rounds of the tourney are held at the campus of the higher seed. The ACC Championship Game will be played at noon on Sunday at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina.
Regardless of how the conference tourney plays out, the road to the national championship will be cluttered with reps from the ACC.
On Tuesday the league announced its annual awards, and Muuss claimed his third consecutive ACC Coach of the Year honor.
Wake Forest’s Jon Bakero is the conference’s offensive player of the year while teammate Kevin Politz is the defensive player of the year.
North Carolina State’s Manny Perez was named freshman of the year.
“Without a doubt, Jon is the top offensive player in the entire NCAA this year,” Muuss said. “He makes our offense go and can beat you in so many different ways. Not only is he an elite goal-scorer, but he has become a great facilitator and opens things up for the rest of the team.
“Kevin has deserved this award each of the last three seasons and we’re elated that he was finally rewarded in his senior season.”
2017 ACC Men’s Soccer Awards
Coach of the Year: Bobby Muuss, Wake Forest
Offensive Player of the Year: Jon Bakero, Sr., F, Wake Forest
Midfielder of the Year: Cam Lindley, So., M, North Carolina
Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Politz, Sr., D, Wake Forest
Freshman of the Year: Manny Perez, Fr., M, NC State
2017 All-ACC Men’s Soccer Teams
First Team
Diego Campos, Sr., F, Clemson
Oliver Shannon, Sr., M, Clemson
Tim Kubel, Sr., D, Louisville
Cam Lindley, So., M, North Carolina
Alan Winn, Sr., F, North Carolina
Jon Gallagher, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Jean-Christophe Koffi, Jr., M, Virginia
Marcelo Acuna, Sr., F, Virginia Tech
Ben Lundgaard, Sr., GK, Virginia Tech
Jon Bakero, Sr., F, Wake Forest
Ema Twumasi, So., M, Wake Forest
Second Team
Brian White, Sr., F, Duke
Tate Schmitt, Jr., M, Louisville
Mohamed Thiaw, Sr., F, Louisville
Zach Wright, Sr., F, North Carolina
Manny Perez, Fr., M, NC State
Javi Perez, Jr., M, Pitt
Mo Adams, So., M, Syracuse
Pablo Aguilar, Sr., F, Virginia
Jeff Caldwell, Sr., GK, Virginia
Edward Opoku, Jr., F, Virginia
Kevin Politz, Sr., D, Wake Forest
Third Team
Markus Fjortoft, Gr., D, Duke
Carter Manley, Sr., D, Duke
Will Pulisic, Fr., GK, Duke
Alex Comsia, Jr., D, North Carolina
Mauricio Pineda, So., M, North Carolina
Jeffrey Farina, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Pol Planellas, Sr., M, Pitt
Tajon Buchanan, Fr., F, Syracuse
Sergi Nus, Jr., D, Virginia
Luis Argudo, Sr., M, Wake Forest
Brad Dunwell, Jr., M, Wake Forest
All-Freshman Team
Robbie Robinson, Fr., F, Clemson
Will Pulisic, Fr., GK, Duke
John Nelson, Fr., D, North Carolina
David Loera, Fr., M, NC State
Manny Perez, Fr., M, NC State
Alexander Dexter, Fr., F, Pitt
Edward Kizza, Fr., F, Pitt
Tajon Buchanan, Fr., F, Syracuse
Joe Bell, Fr., M, Virginia
Omir Fernandez, Fr., M, Wake Forest
Brandon Servania, Fr., M, Wake Forest
@ – Two-time honoree, # – Three-time honoree, % – Four-time honoree