Wake Forest, the highest scoring team in Division I men's soccer last season, has lost another key player.
Cody Arnoux, who would have been a senior, has signed to play with Everton of the English Premier League. He becomes the eighth starter that Coach Jay Vidovich has lost from a team that reached the NCAA College Cup for the third straight season last fall.
"We're ecstatic for Cody to be joining an elite team like Everton that competes in the Premier League," Vidovich said. "It's a tribute to his ability. We're very proud of him and wish him the best of luck."
Everton is one of the oldest clubs in England and has the longest tenure in the country's top division at 107 years. Arnoux will start his pro career with Everton's reserve team.
Arnoux, the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association's high-school player of the year in 2005 after his senior season at Wilmington New Hanover, played in 64 games for Wake Forest and scored 33 career goals.
He led the team in scoring last season with 42 points (17 goals, 8 assists) and helped Wake Forest score a school-record 81 goals in a 21-2-1 season. He also helped the Deacons win the NCAA championship in 2008.
A two-time All-America, Arnoux also had 18 career assists and ranks fifth in Wake Forest history with 84 career points.
"We're going to miss him, I mean that's 17 goals he scored for us last year," Vidovich said. "But with the way we play as a collective team, we won't change our approach. We'll just continue to work hard and find a way to be successful."
Vidovich said that Arnoux is just one semester away from graduation.
"Cody's been to study hall too many times, so he wants to finish," Vidovich said. "He has a couple of classes he can take on-line, and then I think he has to make up another class."
Arnoux could not be reached for comment yesterday but said in a statement released by the university that he's looking forward to starting his professional career.
"It's a tremendous opportunity for me to be able to begin my professional career overseas," Arnoux said. "Everton is one of the premier teams in Europe, finishing fifth in the Premier League last season. I'm looking forward to getting over there and trying my best to earn a spot with the first team."
Wake Forest has lost its top two scorers from last season -- Marcus Tracy (13 goals) graduated -- but returns proven scorers in Corben Bone (7 goals, 17 assists), Zack Schilawski (11 goals) and Austin da Luz, who was slowed by injuries much of last season but should return at full strength. Also back is Luke Norman, who showed promise up front as a freshman.
Vidovich completed an eight-man recruiting class earlier this week by adding Andy Lubahn, a highly rated midfielder from Erie, Pa.
"The guys are looking forward to the season starting and so am I," Vidovich said.
The Deacs will start the regular season Sept. 1 at home against William and Mary.
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or jdell@wsjournal.com.
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