Men's Soccer

Miles Robinson named ACC Defensive Player of the Year; Chris Nanco and Mo Adams earn All-ACC honors

Ally Moreo | Asst. Photo Editor

Miles Robinson leads an Orange defense tied fifth in the nation with 10 shutouts. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.

By Matthew GutierrezSenior Staff Writer

Sophomore defender Miles Robinson has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the ACC announced Tuesday afternoon.

Senior forward Chris Nanco and freshman defender Mo Adams were named to the ACC first and third teams, respectively. Adams was also named to the All-ACC Freshman Team.

Robinson leads an Orange (11-3-4, 3-2-3 ACC) defense tied fifth in the nation with 10 shutouts. SU is seventh in goals-against average (0.57). Robinson earned All-ACC Freshman Team and All-Tournament team honors last year.

When Robinson left for the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team in early October, Syracuse’s defense faltered. The Orange gave up three goals in two games, including a 2-1 upset at Albany and a 1-0 loss at Louisville. When he returned after the two-game hiatus, Syracuse shut out its next three opponents, two of which were top-15 teams.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Robinson is the second Syracuse player voted Defensive Player of the Year in the last three seasons. Alex Bono, who plays for Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, won the award in 2014.



Nanco’s amid his best-ever scoring season, with six goals. His two-goals against Pittsburgh in last week’s ACC tournament first round game were his first scores since Sept. 9. When Nanco scores, Syracuse is 16-0 over the last four seasons. Bobby Muus, the head coach of No. 2 Wake Forest and this year’s ACC Coach of the Year, called Nanco “dangerous.”

Adams, a defender from England, has started all but one of Syracuse’s games in his freshman campaign. He scored his first-career goal at Hartford last month, when he stroked one through the net from more than 30 yards out.

Notre Dame’s Jon Gallagher, who scored the game-winning goal against the Orange in September, was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

Syracuse moved up from No. 7 to No. 6 in this week’s NSCAA ranking, despite drawing to Clemson in the ACC quarterfinal, 1-1, on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers advanced past SU on penalty kicks. The Orange awaits its NCAA tournament seeding, which is announced Nov. 14. The tournament kicks off Nov. 19.





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