Dec. 12, 2014
2014 NSCAA Division I All-America Teams
2014 NSCAA Division I All-South Region Team
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame men’s soccer standouts Patrick Hodan (Jr./M) and Nick Besler (Sr./M) can now add All-America honors to their impressive college resumes. Hodan has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America First Team, while Besler was a second-team pick.
Hodan (Brookfield, Wis.) played in all of Notre Dame’s 21 matches this season and he led the Fighting Irish in goals (9) and points (21). Hodan was tapped as the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year last month and he also was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. He has tallied 65 points on 26 goals and 13 assists in 65 career games. Hodan, a two-time all-ACC performer, has 10 game-winning goals during his career, including five in 2014.
Hodan also is quite successful in the classroom. He garnered first-team Academic All-America accolades this season after being a third-team selection last year. Hodan becomes the third player in program history to earn first-team All-America and first-team Academic All-America honors in the same season. He joins Matt Besler (2008) and Harrison Shipp (2013) on that impressive list.
Nick Besler (Overland Park, Kan.) never left the pitch this season for the Fighting Irish and he notched one goal and two assists from his central midfield position. The Irish team captain netted the golden goal in the 1-0 win over VCU. He copped first-team all-ACC honors for the second straight season to become a three-time all-league performer after receiving a third-team all-BIG EAST citation in 2012. Besler competed in 72 matches, including 59 starts, and posted two goals and five assists during his stellar Notre Dame career.
Fellow Fighting Irish captain Luke Mishu (Knoxville, Tenn.) was named to the NSCAA All-South Region Second Team. The right back played every possible minute this season and he recorded five assists while helping the Irish defense post six shutouts. Mishu, a three-year starter for the Irish, earned second-team all-ACC honors this season after being a third-team pick in 2013. He also was named to the 2014 Academic All-America Third Team. He concluded his career with 12 assists in 75 matches (71 starts).
The Fighting Irish posted a 12-5-4 record in 2014. Notre Dame won the ACC Coastal Division with a 6-1-1 league mark and the Irish garnered the top seed for the NCAA Championship. Notre Dame fell to Virginia, 1-0, in the NCAA Round of 16.
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