Fayetteville, N.C. - The 2013-14 season serves as the 50th for the USA South Athletic Conference. In an effort to relive 50 Years of great student-athlete performances, each current league institution was given the opportunity to submit names of student-athletes who competed within the Conference and excelled not only on their campuses, but in the Conference as a whole. The league has continued its recognition of these teams with  the sport of men's soccer, and N.C. Wesleyan is proud to have placed 22 Bishop players on the squad.

The USA South began sponsoring a regular season championship in the sport of men's soccer in 1966, and in 2000, the Conference's annual men's soccer tournament was first conducted. The Conference has produced five national champions and three national runners-up, while individually, several players have furthered their athletic careers at the professional level.

N.C. Wesleyan has experienced much success within the league, beginning with a 1984 season that saw the Bishops earn the first of seven NCAA Tournament berths.  Since that time, NCWC has captured six regular season league championships, highlighted by a string of four straights seasons without a conference loss (2004-2007). Wesleyan has also secured a pair of USA South Tournament crowns, as well as two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.

Below are the names and a brief summary of accolades for those Battling Bishops named to the 50th Anniversary Team. On behalf of the Department of Athletics, we congratulate each of these men on this noteworthy recognition.

• Scott Preston (four-time MVP & All-Conference; NCWC Hall of Famer)
• Greg Armand (two-time All-American; three-time All-Conference; MVP; retired jersey; NCWC Hall of Famer)
• Bill Tully (All-American; All-Conference; MVP; second all-time in points & assists; NCWC Hall of Famer)
• Kenny Bowers (All-American, MVP, All-Conference)
• Taher Husain (All-American, two-time First Team All-Conference)
• Shamil Salah (two-time First Team All-Conference; game, season & career leader in assists; 3rd all-time in points)
• Chad Garbrandt (3rd all-time in goals scored; First Team All-Conference)
• Cale Bennett (four-time MVP & All-Conference)
• Scott Kennell (two-time All-Conference & All-Region; MVP; second all-time in goals scored; NCWC Hall of Famer)
• Shaun Oliveria (all-time leading scorer; four-time All-Conference; three-time MVP; 2002 USAS Player of the Year; NCWC Hall of Famer)
• Jon Dyer (three-time All-Conference; MVP)
• Stephen Tupy (First Team All-Conference; MVP)
• Salvador Benitez, Jr. (two-time All-Conference & All-Tournament; MVP of 2004 Tournament)
• Lucas Fuentes (three-time First Team All-Conference; 2004 USAS Rookie of the Year)
• Danny Jones (four-time All-Conference; three-time MVP)
• Alimamy Kargbo (four-time All-Conference; 4th all-time in assists)
• Jason Botanni (four-time All-Conference defender)
• Marco Kirsch (2007 All-American and USA South Rookie of the Year)
• Danny Persson (2008 All-American and USA South Player of the Year; led nation in scoring and broke NCWC record)
• Robert Ivanovich (four-time All-Conference; MVP)
• Edgar Zaldivar (three-time All-Conference; 3rd all-time in assists)
• Owen White (three-time All-Conference; MVP)

To view the complete USA South 50th Anniversary Team in men's soccer, please click HERE!

To view more ways the USA South is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, please click HERE!