GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro freshman Joey Skinner was named the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference Players of the Year for the under-18/19 division Tuesday night. A defender for the Spartans, Skinner played this summer for the Charlotte Independence Pro, a club team based in Charlotte.

"It's a really good feeling to know that I won this award, especially because all of the work I have put in over the last 2-3 years," Skinner said. "At the same time, I couldn't have done it without the support of my family, coaches, and teammates."
 
Skinner played a key role during UNCG's 2-0 victory over Gardner-Webb this past Sunday with a goal and an assist.
 
That performance was a carry-over from the summer in which Skinner shined. He helped his team win the under-19 national championship. He was also named to the All-Conference team of the Mid-Atlantic Region. In starting every match, Skinner scored 11 goals and had eight assists in 22 games. He also had one hat-trick.

"Over the last year I feel that my passing ability has grown a lot more as well as my usage of my weak foot," Skinner said.  "The level of play was very high, especially in the national playoffs. Over those four games I feel like I gained so much experience."
 
The Spartans have split their first two games of 2021. They host Stetson on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saint Joseph's at 3 p.m. UNCG is receiving votes in the latest College Soccer News national poll.