Top-seeded Wake Forest will get the chance this week to give Coach Jay Vidovich something he's never had -- the ACC soccer-tournament title.
The Deacons have just one ACC soccer title in its long and successful history, having won the 1989 title under the late Walt Chyzowych. Vidovich, this year's coach of the year in the ACC for the fifth time, was an assistant coach on that '89 team.
"To be honest with you, everybody wants that ACC Tournament title and it's very difficult," Vidovich said. "It's three games in five days against some top teams. We've been in the championship a couple of times, so we'd love to have it."
The Deacons (13-3-2) will play Clemson today at 5:30 p.m. in one of the quarterfinal matches at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
The school recognized the 1989 team in a ceremony on Oct. 9. Before and after that game with North Carolina, some of the current players heard from the '89 team members.
"It's been 20 years, so it will be nice to break it this year," said goalie Akira Fitzgerald, who is part of the winningest senior class in school history with a record of 74-10-9. "The '89 team was here earlier this year, and they want us to bring it back. It's definitely one of our goals."
Freshman forward Andy Lubhan, who along with defender Anthony Arena made the All-ACC freshman team, said: "They (the '89 team members) were telling us we need to win another one. So we heard it from them pretty good."
Vidovich said he didn't mind that the '89 team members encouraged the current team to win another ACC title.
"For sure, that's fine that they said that," Vidovich said. "That's great that they care about our tradition and they want them to win. The '89 team doesn't want to be the only team to have won it."
The job that Vidovich did this season is remarkable considering that he lost eight starters of last year's team which went to the College Cup for the third straight year. Six of those starters went in the MLS Draft, two signed with prominent overseas teams (Cody Arnoux, who left school early, and Marcus Tracy), and defender Danny Wenzel was lost for this season because of an injury.
The Deacons are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, but that won't mean much in the tournament. Six of the nine ACC teams are ranked in various polls in the top 20 as once again the ACC is one of the most talented leagues in the country.
"At tournament time there's a difference between the regular-season and its do-or-die -- it's a different feeling," Vidovich said. "We hope our guys can perform at a high level."
jdell@wsjournal.com.
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ACC All-Conference
First Team -- Andrew Wenger (defender), Duke; Jason Herrick (forward), Maryland; Zac MacMath (goalie) Maryland; Michael Farfan (midfielder), North Carolina; Zach Loyd (defender), North Carolina; Billy Schuler (forward) North Carolina; Alan Sanchez (midfielder), N.C. State; Corben Bone (midfielder), Wake Forest; Austin da Luz (midfielder), Wake Forest; Ike Opara (defender), Wake Forest; Zack Schilawski (forward), Wake Forest.
Second team Justin Luthy (goalie), Boston College; Karl Reddick (defender), Boston College; Cole Grossman (midfielder), Duke; Kevin Tangney (defender), Maryland; Drew Yates (midfielder), Maryland; Cameron Brown (midfielder), North Carolina; Ronnie Bouemboue (forward), N.C. State; Neil Barlow (midfielder), Virginia; William Bates (forward), Virginia; Ross LaBauex (midfielder), Virginia; Tony Tchani (midfielder), Virginia.
Offensive player of the year: Corben Bone (Wake Forest); Defensive player of the year: Ike Opara (Wake Forest); Freshman of the year: Andrew Wenger (Duke); Coach of the year: Jay Vidovich (Wake Forest).
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