Blue Devils Trio Earns Academic All-District Honors

DURHAM, N.C.-A trio of Duke University men's soccer players recently were recognized for their work on the field as well as in the classroom, earning spots on the CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District III teams. Fifth-year senior Matthew Thomas and junior Christopher Tweed-Kent both captured first team recognition, while senior Nick Sih was voted to the second team.

Thomas and Tweed-Kent will represent the Blue Devils on the national ballot. Duke is one of two schools to have three student-athletes selected across the two teams. The Blue Devils are the lone Atlantic Coast Conference program to have at least one player on the first team.

Capturing first team all-district honors for the second consecutive season, Thomas has helped anchor the Blue Devil backline this season. He has started all 16 games and ranks second on the team in minutes played. In addition to leading Duke to six shutouts, Thomas has contributed three goals, including the game winner at Virginia Tech, and an assist this season. The native of Langhorne, Pa., is pursuing his Master of Management Studies from Duke's Fuqua School of Business after earning a bachelor's degree in sociology in the spring of 2010.

Tweed-Kent is having an outstanding season as an outside midfielder for the Blue Devils. He currently leads all Blue Devils and ranks fifth nationally with 11 assists on the year and has 13 points overall. He provided a career-high three assists in Duke's 4-0 blanking of Furman and has registered at least two assists in four different games. He needs just three more assists to move into a tie for 10th on Duke's single-season assists list. A mechanical engineering major, Tweed-Kent was selected to the All-ACC Academic Team in 2009.

Sih also earned recognition for his work in the classroom for the first time. Having played all over the field during his four-year career, the native of Horsham, Pa., has anchored Duke's defense the past two seasons. He started every game the past two years and helped Duke post 13 shutouts. An international comparative studies major, Sih is a two-time All-ACC Academic honoree and was named to the ACC Honor Roll in each of his previous three seasons.

Duke closes out its regular season schedule on Nov. 5, hosting Wake Forest at Koskinen Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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