UNCG’s Ngando Named First Team All American
United Soccer Coaches Announces NCAA Division I All Americans
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sophomore midfielder J.C. Ngando of the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s soccer team was named to the United Soccer Coaches 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer All-America first team, announced Friday by the organization.
This is the latest honor for Ngando, who enjoyed a fantastic year in leading the Spartans to the Southern Conference (SoCon) Regular Season Championship, SoCon Tournament Championship, and a historic Division I NCAA Tournament run to the Elite 8 round.
This year’s All-Americans will be recognized for their accomplishments at the United Soccer Coaches All-America Ceremony & Reception on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention.
This is the 23rd time that UNCG men’s soccer has had a name on the United Soccer Coaches All-American list. This is the second-straight year that the Spartans have had a player recognized, as Theo Collomb earned second team honors in 2021.
Ngando earned United Soccer Coaches All-South Region first team recognition earlier this week. At the conclusion of the regular season, Ngando was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. He is the eighth from UNCG to be named SoCon Player of the Year, as Theo Collomb earned the recognition last year. This is also the seventh time in SoCon history that a school earned SoCon Player of the Year for more than one year straight. Ngando also earned his second-straight SoCon first team recognition.
The Paris, France native started and played in all 21 games this season, assisting the Spartans to a 13-2-6 overall record and a 4-0-1 SoCon mark. This was the first time since 2004 when UNCG went 6-0-1 that the Spartans went undefeated. The Spartans earned its ninth regular season title after defeating Wofford, 2-1, on Saturday, October 29 in Spartanburg, South Carolina and their fifth SoCon Tournament Title with a 2-1 win over Mercer on Sunday, November 12 at home.
UNCG won its second Tournament title in three years, the most recent during the 2020-21 spring season. UNCG earned its fourth SoCon double crown in program history (Regular and Tournament Championships). The last time they won the double was 2006. The Spartans also won it in 2005 and 1998.
Ngando finished third on the team with 22 points, scoring four goals and leading the team with 14 assists, for a season best. Two of his four goals this season were game-winning goals. He also went 2-for-4 in penalty kick attempts. His 14 assists this season ranks seventh in UNCG history. Ngando earned SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice this season.
Among the SoCon, Ngando finished first in assists per game and total assists, fourth in shots per game and total points, and seventh in points per game.
Among Division I, he is currently second in total assists, fourth in assists per game, 49th in total points, 81st in shots per game, and 96th in points per game.
With the SoCon tournament title, the Spartans earned their 12th Division I Tournament bid. It was the 21st time in a NCAA Tournament game since the program started, with seven appearances at the Division III level and two at the Division II level. It was the second time under fourth-year Head Coach Chris Rich, a two-time SoCon Head Coach of the Year.
UNCG earned a first-round bye after receiving a No. 12 ranking in the Tournament. The Spartans tied Ohio State, 1-1, and advanced after a 6-5 result in penalty kicks. They then tied No. 5 Stanford in the third round, 1-1, and advanced again with a 3-1 result in penalty kicks. UNCG concluded its season with a 2-0 loss to No. 13 Indiana at home in front of a sellout crowd of 3,622 on Saturday, December 3.
NOTES: Ngando’s award is the 24th UNCG men’s soccer player in program history to earn All-America honors as Leeroy Magurasushe was named to the All-American Freshman Second Team by College Soccer News in 2015.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro