Men's Soccer | 10/30/2014 11:09:00 AM

Austin, Texas----Wingate University senior defender Victor Tozelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil) has been named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-District III men's soccer first team (NCAA Division II), selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Tozelli is an Academic All-District III team member for the first time in his career (district-by-district list).
 
Tozelli has once again played a key role in the Wingate defense, as the Bulldogs are having another successful campaign in 2014. During his first season in 2012, Wingate won its first-ever regional title, advancing to the first NCAA Elite Eight in program history. The Bulldogs were ranked as high as fifth in the nation during the 2013 season. In 2014, Wingate is 10-3-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have been ranked as high as 18th in the NSCAA top 25 poll. Wingate has won nine of its last 11 matches, going 9-1-1 during the stretch.
 
"I am proud of Victor for this accomplishment," Wingate head coach Gary Hamill says. "He is a significant contributor to our success both on and off the soccer pitch. Victor is an exemplary soccer student-athlete…he is the type of person we are hoping to find in the recruiting process."
 
Tozelli has earned first team All-SAC and All-Region honors during each of his first two seasons at Wingate. He has started 44 of the 46 games he has played during his three-year career. The All-Region defender has been a key part of a Wingate defense that has ranked in the top three in the SAC in goals-against average each of the last three years. Tozelli also has four goals and four assists during his career. He scored in Wingate's 2012 NCAA Tournament win against Montevallo, while notching an assist in the 2-1 NCAA Tournament win at Lander the same year. He scored a goal in this season's 4-0 win at Catawba.
 
In the classroom, Tozelli sports a 3.35 GPA with his Finance major. Tozelli and the other 10 team members will advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® national ballot. District III (college division) includes NCAA Division II schools from the Conference Carolinas, the Peach Belt Conference and the South Atlantic Conference. The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (by districts) select the Capital One Academic All-District men's soccer teams.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 8th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past eight years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 67 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 67 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 76 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.
 
2014 CAPITAL ONE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT III MEN'S SOCCER TEAM
(NCAA DIVISION II, AS SELECTED BY CoSIDA)

GK-Mike Warn, Francis Marion
D-Duncan Foster, Carson-Newman
D-Marvyn Rieger, Lees-McRae
D-Victor Tozelli, Wingate
D-Lars Zimmerman, Anderson (S.C.)
M-Chris Hicks, King (Tenn.)
M-Ben Jones, Lenoir-Rhyne
M-James Smith, Lees-McRae
F-Ilija Ilic, Young Harris
F-Sam Miles, UNC Pembroke
F-Erik Pajunk, Barton