Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530198
cavalier profile NICK DANG Third-Year • Soccer When it was announced that Nick Dang was transferring to Virginia for his third-year season after a run of NCAA Tournament ap- pearances at Lipscomb, a lot was expected of the defender. Dang came in as an All-Atlantic Sun first- teamer and a United Soccer Coaches All-Re- gion first-team selection, helping to lead the Bisons to two straight NCAA bids. According to Top Drawer Soccer, he was among the na- tion's top 100 men's soccer players. Even after moving to the daunting ACC competition, Dang was expected to continue his defensive dominance. He was UVA's lone player on the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI teams, making the second team for defense. The fact that he lived up to expectations was not surprising. Dang was a second- team All-ACC honoree this year after help- ing lead the Cavaliers to six shutouts this season and a 1.21 goals-against average. He was a key player when the Cavaliers advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Championship by taking down top-seeded Pitt in Pittsburgh and subsequently earned a No. 11 seed and first-round bye in this year's NCAA Tournament. The center back is not just leading the defense, but also the offense. Dang has 6 goals on the season, 2 more than his next closest teammate. He has proven to be a lethal presence in the box on set-piece situations. He wasted no time showing off his of- fensive talents, scoring a goal in his Cavalier debut in the season opener against Rider. He also scored the game-winning goal in the 1-0 victory at Boston College, the first time the Cavaliers won there since 2005. "Nick brings experience, brings quality," said head coach George Gelnovatch. "He's developing leadership because he's new to the team in a position that's really impor- tant. That center back position is right up your spine in a lot of ways to help dictate what we're doing. "And he's our leading goal scorer. I've never had a center back have 6 goals and also be the team leader. And so there's that dynamic, too, which garners a lot of re- spect from the players and from around the league. He's been a really good pickup." — Quinn Hull • Photo courtesy UVA WINTER 2024-25 33