Three men's soccer players named to All-ACC Academic Team

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three members of the Virginia Tech men’s soccer team have been named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Team for the 2012 season, Commissioner John Swofford announced today. The honorees include freshman Daniel Lauretano, redshirt sophomore defender Drew Ranahan and junior goalkeeper Kyle Renfro. Lauretano is a first-time honoree, while Ranahan and Renfro were named to the team in 2011.

"We are extremely proud of these three young men for their accomplishments in the classroom," head coach Mike Brizendine said. "This recognition is well deserved as they have put a great deal of work into their academics while also preparing for the rigors of competing in of the one of the best conferences in country."

Lauretano, a university studies major from Chester, Va., stepped into the lineup right from the start, making his first career appearance in the season opener and earning his first start in the second game. The freshman scored two goals on the year, with his first coming in the opener against SIU-Edwardsville. He led all first-year players in minutes with 1,173.

Ranahan, an economics major from Oakland, Calif., led the backline in minutes for the second straight season, accumulating 1,698 minutes. He was only one of four field players to start every match this season. As a center back, he was a key contributor in each of Tech's four shutouts.

Renfro, a history major from Forest, Va., started all 20 games, leading the team with 1,856 minutes. The junior finished the season atop the conference in saves with 98 and saves per game at 4.90. The 98 total saves was tied for the 11th most in the country. Renfro recorded four shutouts for the second straight season. He tied his career high in saves on three occasions, posting nine stops against Boston College, Radford and then-No. 2 Maryland. No other keeper in the ACC recorded nine stops in a game in 2012.

To be eligible for All-ACC Academic Team consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

The Hokies open the 2013 spring season tomorrow as they host Tusculum at 4 p.m.