Nov. 29, 2012

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Los Angeles, Calif. - Senior midfielder Ryan Hollingshead and junior defender Joe Sofia were each named to the Capital One Academic All-America Team, as announced by the organization today. Sofia received first-team honors while Hollingshead was named to the third-team.

Sofia, a native of Dove Canyon, Calif., led the Bruins with 1,789 minutes this season and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2012. He started all 19 matches for the Bruins and set new career-highs with two goals and four assists this year, all while anchoring the UCLA back line from the center-back position. Sofia sports an outstanding 3.95 GPA as a Communications major and was a first-team Pac-12 All-Academic selection in 2011 and 2012. He is also the first UCLA men's soccer player to earn first-team honors on the Capital One Academic All-America Team.

Hollingshead, the 2012 Pac-12 Player of the Year, also started all 19 of UCLA's matches this season and led the team with 22 points (7 g, 8 a). He also finished the season tied with Reed Williams for the team lead in goals and captained the Bruins to a 13-3-3 record. Off the field, Hollingshead owns a 3.48 GPA as a Psychology major and is on track to graduate after the 2012 Fall Quarter. He also has been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team three years in a row, earning second-team honors in 2010 and 2011 and first-team honors in 2012.

UCLA has now landed five players all-time on the Capital One Academic All-America Team (Sofia and Hollingshead, 2012; Chandler Hoffman 2011; Zach Wells, 2003; Josh Keller, 1997). This is also the first time in both Sofia and Hollingshead's careers that they have been named to the Academic All-America team.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution.

Capital One Academic All-America First Team
Scott Goodwin, GK, North Carolina, Sr. - 3.95, Biology
Nick Alers, D, Yale, Jr. - 3.98, Economics, Political Science
Chad Barson, D, Akron, Sr. - 3.99, Biology
Liam Paddock, D, Maryland Baltimore Co., Sr. - 3.92, Psychology, Sociology
Joe Sofia, D, UCLA, Jr. - 3.95, Communications
Will Betts, MF, Mercer, Sr. - 3.98, Finance
Scott Caldwell, MF, Akron, Sr. - 3.94, Accounting
Shawn Sloan, MF, High Point, Sr. - 4.00, Chemistry
Reinaldo Brenes, F, Akron, Jr. - 3.90, International Business
Tyler Riggs, F, Kentucky, Jr. - 3.91, Mechanical Engineering
Reece Wilson, F, Central Connecticut, Sr. - 3.84, Accounting

Capital One Academic All-America Second Team
David Meves, GK, Akron, Sr. - 3.77, Corporate Finance
Travis Anderson, D, Oregon State, Sr. - 3.97, Exercise & Sport Science
Jake Dobkins, D, Tulsa, Sr. - 3.96, Management
Nick Marshall, D, Drake, Jr. - 4.00, Comp. Science, Chemistry
Sean Ryan, D, Xavier, Gr. - 3.91, Economics, Finance
Mustafa Chopan, MF, UC Davis, Sr. - 3.94, Neurobiology, Phys. & Behavior
Bryan Ciesiulka, MF, Marquette, Jr. - 3.80, Mathematics, Education
Eric Wootten, MF, Navy, Sr. - 3.84, Honors Systems Engineering
Joshua Patterson, F, Duquesne, Sr. - 3.71, Sports Marketing
Mark Sherrod, F, Memphis, Jr. - 3.48, Civil Engineering
Harrison Shipp, F, Notre Dame, Jr. - 3.85, Finance

Capital One Academic All-America Third Team
Sam Kernan-Schloss, GK, Brown, Sr. - 3.80, Community Health, Economics
Johnny Dreshaj, D, Oakland, Sr. - 3.86, Finance
Nick Murphy, D, San Jose State, Sr. - 3.93, Physics
Dylan Remick, D, Brown, Sr. - 3.71, Biology
Levi Rossi, D, New Mexico, Sr. - 3.79, Psychology
Ryan Hollingshead, MF, UCLA, Sr. - 3.48, Psychology
Alex Isern, MF, Winthrop, Sr. - 3.78, Finance
Joe Meyer, MF, Bucknell, Jr. - 3.97, Mechanical Engineering
Julian Cardona, F, Penn State, Sr. - 3.81, Agribusiness Management
Alex Hutchins, F, Wofford, Sr. - 3.48, Biology
Todd Vervynckt, F, Valparaiso, Jr. - 3.97, Mechanical Engineering