Wake Forest Ranked Third in College Soccer News Preseason Poll
Deacs return five starters from 2008 team

July 2, 2009

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's soccer team is ranked third in a preseason poll released by College Soccer News.

Wake Forest enters the 2009 season looking for its fourth consecutive trip to the College Cup. The Deacs return five starters, including three players that were named All-Americans during the 2008 season. A total of 20 players return from the 2008 team that finished with a 21-2-1 record.

Four Atlantic Coast Conference teams are ranked in the poll. North Carolina is projected fourth, while defending national champion Maryland is ranked fifth. Virginia is tabbed No. 22 by College Soccer News.

St. John's enters the season as the top-ranked team, while Creighton is ranked second.

Senior Cody Arnoux returns to lead the Demon Deacon attack. Arnoux, who was named an All-American in 2008 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and College Soccer News, scored a team-high 17 goals in 2008 and also recorded a team-best 42 points, becoming just the third player in school history to record 40 points in a season.

Fellow senior Zack Schilawski forms a formidable 1-2 punch up front with Arnoux. Schilawski scored 11 goals and added five assists during the 2008 season.

In the middle, the Deacs boast junior All-American Corben Bone, who led the country in assists in 2009. Bone notched a single-season school record 17 helpers during 2008 and also scored seven goals to finish the season with 31 points. He was named an All-American in 2008 by the NSCAA, College Soccer News and Soccer America.

Junior Ike Opara returns to anchor the Wake Forest back line. Considered one of the top central defenders in college soccer, Opara was named an All-American by Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News and was also the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Opara also added five goals, including two game-winning goals, during the 2008 season.

Senior Akira Fitzgerald returns as the Wake Forest goalkeeper. Fitzgerald allowed 15 goals in 2,153 minutes in 2008, posting a goals against average of 0.63, which ranks as the second-best GAA in a single season in school history. Fitzgerald also had 13 shutouts during 2008, tying the school record for most clean sheets in a single season.

Wake Forest opens the 2009 season on August 22 at 7 p.m. with an exhibition game at home against Liberty. The regular season begins on September 1 at 7 p.m. against William & Mary in a rematch of the 2008 NCAA Tournament second round match, which Wake Forest won 1-0 in overtime.

2009 College Soccer News Preseason Poll
1. St. John's
2. Creighton
3. Wake Forest
4. North Carolina
5. Maryland
6. Akron
7. Indiana
8. California
9. Northwestern
10. Dartmouth
11. Illinois-Chicago
12. Tulsa
13. South Florida
14. UC Irvine
15. Loyola (Md.)
16. Notre Dame
17. UCLA
18. Dayton
19. UC Santa Barbara
20. Connecticut
21. Drake
22. Virginia
23. Boston University
24. Saint Louis
25. Michigan State
26. Cal Poly
27. SMU
28. Louisville
29. George Mason
30. San Francisco