Walsh Named to Preseason All-SoCon Team

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Coming off a monster junior campaign in which he ranked among the nation's leaders in several key categories, VMI senior defender Kyle Walsh was named to the 2019 Preseason All-Southern Conference team announced Thursday by the league office.

The Easton, Pennsylvania, native and team captain earned first team All-SoCon honors in 2018 after ranking second in the nation in caused turnovers per game at 2.62, tops in the conference. He also finished 12th in the NCAA rankings in groundballs per game at 6.69, second most in the league. Over the season he forced 35 turnovers and picked up 87 groundballs, including 13 against Wagner which tied for ninth in the VMI record book for most in a single game.

After the season he earned VMI's prestigious Intercollegiate Award for excellence in NCAA competition given to only one male and one female cadet-athlete at the completion of every academic year.

This marks the second straight year Walsh was named to the Preseason All-SoCon team. Other defenders named were Brandon Jones of Air Force, Dixon Smith of Jacksonville and Jason Reynolds of Richmond.

The Keydets begin their 2019 campaign at home on Saturday, Feb. 16, when they face Manhattan College on Drill Field No. 2 at noon.

Full release:

http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4000&ATCLID=211787719

2019 Preseason All-Southern Conference team

A             Asher Nolting, High Point

A             Eric Applegate, Jacksonville

A             Teddy Hatfield, Richmond

M            Cameron Carter, Air Force

M            William Holcomb, Furman

M            Mitch Savoca, Richmond

D             Brandon Jones, Air Force

D             Dixon Smith, Jacksonville

D             Jason Reynolds, Richmond

D             Kyle Walsh, VMI

GK          Tim Troutner Jr., High Point

FO          Trent Harper, Air Force

SSM        Tate Gallagher, Richmond

LSM        Michael O'Brien, Mercer