United Soccer Coaches Announces Scholar All-Americans
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer recent graduate,
Marco Milanese was recently named to the Scholar All-American second team, as announced by the United Soccer Coaches.
Milanese is the lone representative of the Southern Conference to earn the honor. He is the third Scholar All-American in UNCG history and second second team selection. The most recent was Leeroy Maguraushe who was named to the second team in 2018 and then Scott Jones who was voted to the first team in 2006.
The Isernia, Italy native has averaged a 3.98 grade-point average and held a 4.0 GPA this semester while studying finance.
In order to be eligible for United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region and All-America teams, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.40 cumulative GPA, play in a minimum of 75% of a team's contest and be an elite player as supported by playing honors (All-America, All-Region, minimum All-Conference). A student-athlete must also be at least a junior athletically.
Most recently, Milanese was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region second team. He was one of two Spartans to earn College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American Second Team recognition, as well as one of four Spartans named to the CSC Academic All-District® Team. This year he was voted to the All-SoCon first team as a defender after playing in 21 games, starting in 20 of them totaling 1848 minutes to lead the team. The 2022 captain scored one goal and had two assists for four points this season.
A key piece of the Spartans' defense, Milanese won SoCon Defensive Player of the Week once this season. He assisted UNCG to allowing just 19 goals this season in 21 games for 0.89 goals against. The Spartans also totaled six shutouts this season.
UNCG earned their ninth Southern Conference (SoCon) Regular Season title after a 4-0-1 conference mark and then won their fifth SoCon Tournament Title. The undefeated SoCon record was the first time since 2004, when the Spartans went 6-0-1.
The Tournament title helped the Spartans punch their 12th NCAA Division I Tournament bid. It was their 21st time in a NCAA Tournament, earning seven appearances in Division III and two at the Division II level.
After hosting Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and tying 1-1, but advancing on penalty kicks 6-5, the Spartans faced No. 5 Stanford in California also tying, 1-1, but advancing on penalty kicks, 3-1. UNCG, never reaching the NCAA Division I Quarterfinals before, fell to No. 13 Indiana in Greensboro with a score of 2-0.
The 2022 campaign came to a close with UNCG's fourth double crown in program history. The last time the Spartans won the double was 2006. The Spartans also won it in 2005 and 1998. UNCG concluded the season with a 13-2-6 overall mark.
